Episode 13

After traveling for two days, the horse-drawn carriage carrying Chen Xuan and Mu Xue finally entered the imperial capital. Above the massive gate hung an iron plaque that read 'Chen Empire'.

In the imperial capital, the population was ten times greater than that of the northern district. On the concrete streets, one could see numerous pedestrians. To the left and right of the road stood rows of opulent, multi-story buildings. Large stores filled with many visitors could also be found.

After passing the fountain intersection and the statues of heroes, the carriage finally stopped in front of an iron gate. On the gate was a plaque that said 'Yan Mansion'.

Chen Xuan and Mu Xue exited the carriage, followed by Mu Qian. The group walked toward the gate of the Yan Clan mansion.

"Stop! This is the residence of the Yan Clan; outsiders are not allowed entry!" Two guards stood to the left and right of the gate, blocking Chen Xuan's group as they approached. They quickly obstructed their path, forcing the group to retreat.

"I am Mu Xue of the Mu Clan; do you dare stop me?" Mu Xue frowned and glared coldly at the two guards.

"Heh, so it is Miss Mu. Please enter; we will not disturb your business!" Upon hearing her identity, the guards immediately changed their attitude and allowed Chen Xuan's group inside.

Upon entering the Yan Clan courtyard, Chen Xuan beheld the lavish decoration of the multi-tiered pavilions within. The courtyard was expansive, and rows of statues lined the left and right sides of the path, with a concrete floor giving the impression of entering an imperial palace.

As the trio approached, the Yan Clan disciples gathered in the distance, watching curiously. The young men, in particular, could not take their eyes off Mu Xue.

Mu Xue remained indifferent, standing calmly, her beautiful eyes never leaving Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan stood still, his gaze sweeping over the concrete stairs leading up to the four-story pavilion. Among all the buildings in the Yan Clan mansion, only the pavilion in front was the most elaborately decorated.

Chen Xuan focused on the pavilion doors and spoke calmly. "I am Chen Xuan, the ninth prince from the Chen Palace in the eastern district, here to meet the leader of Yan!"

His voice was not loud, yet it resonated throughout the courtyard, clearly audible to everyone present.

"So it is Chen Xuan, the ninth prince rumored to be a cultivation waste."

"I heard Chen Xuan has a marriage contract with the young lady, but she and the patriarch went to Chen Palace two days ago to annul the engagement and proposed that the fourth prince replace the groom."

"Yesterday, a woman named Lin Sua also came to the Chen Clan door. She claimed to be Chen Xuan's mother and sought an explanation from the patriarch, but she ended up being humiliated by him."

"Is Chen Xuan here to demand an explanation too?"

"Hmph, Chen Xuan is just a turtle longing for a swan. He is unaware of his own limitations, dreaming of becoming the young lady's husband."

"Who is the young lady? She is one of the top beauties in the Chen Empire. At just 17, she has already achieved Dao Condensation and is a true expert, her future boundless. Meanwhile, Chen Xuan is just a cultivation waste; the difference between them is like heaven and earth."

Upon hearing Chen Xuan's name, murmurs of discussion arose among the spectators. They looked at Chen Xuan with sneers at the corners of their mouths.

But Chen Xuan drowned out their voices, his gaze fixed on the pavilion doors.

After several minutes, the sound of creaking doors echoed, and the form of a beauty capable of toppling kingdoms appeared before everyone.

The figure was a young girl aged 17, with an oval face, a delicate nose, and cherry-red lips. Her bright, watery eyes and brown hair tied back in a ponytail complemented her slender and smooth body. Her skin was as clear as crystal, and she had two pairs of enchanting long legs. This figure truly deserved to be the number one beauty in the Chen Empire, just slightly below Mu Xue. She was Yan Ruo.

Chen Xuan had an impression of this girl, from the memories of the previous owner of his body. He knew that Chen Xuan and Yan Ruo were childhood friends, since Yan Ruo was five years old. The Yan Clan had internal problems, and Yan Ruo was sent by her father to the Chen King's Palace in the northern district.

At that time, Chen Xuan was still a genius; Yan Ruo and Chen Xuan quickly grew close. They spent a lot of time together, and Chen Xuan provided much cultivation guidance to Yan Ruo when they were both 12 years old. The internal crisis within the Yan Clan had been resolved, and Yan Ruo was called back to her Clan.

A month after Yan Ruo returned to the Yan Clan, the patriarch of the Yan Clan came to the Chen King's Palace and proposed an engagement between Chen Xuan and Yan Ruo. King Chen had no objections, and neither did Chen Xuan, as he genuinely liked Yan Ruo. However, it was the original owner of the body who had an affection for Yan Ruo; Chen Xuan now had none. In fact, he held a sense of disgust towards this woman.

"Chen Xuan, why have you come to my Yan Clan?" Yan Ruo said casually.

"I wanted to—" Chen Xuan attempted to explain his purpose for coming, but before he could finish, Yan Ruo interrupted him.

"If you came to ask for an explanation or compensation, then you should go home. My Clan does not accept beggars. And if you are asking why I canceled our engagement and replaced you with the fourth prince, the reason is that he is ten to a hundred times better than you. You are cultivation trash, no longer the proud genius. You are no longer worthy of me, Yan Ruo. We are destined to live in different worlds," Yan Ruo declared with a proud and domineering attitude.

Chen Xuan smiled coldly. "Yes, we are indeed destined to live in different worlds. These words are not meant for me but for you."

"What do you mean?" Yan Ruo frowned.

Chen Xuan smiled. "Today, in this place, I, Chen Xuan, divorce Yan Ruo. From today and into the future, we will never have any relationship again."

Chen Xuan's words struck like thunder in the Yan Clan mansion, leaving Yan Ruo and all the disciples of the Yan Clan in shock.

Chen Xuan had actually divorced Yan Ruo, the number one beauty in the Chen Empire. This left everyone dumbfounded, but Chen Xuan's next words made everyone's jaws drop.

"Yan Ruo, I, Chen Xuan, challenge you to a real fight one year from now. All grudges will be resolved through victory or defeat. Do you accept?" Chen Xuan stared at Yan Ruo calmly.

"You..." Yan Ruo was genuinely taken aback by Chen Xuan's decisiveness; she had never expected that Chen Xuan would divorce her. And the craziest part was that Chen Xuan was challenging her to a duel.

Who was she?

She was a cultivation genius who became a true practitioner at the age of 17; her combat strength was beyond doubt. Yet here, Chen Xuan was actually challenging her to a fight. Yan Ruo was completely confused about where Chen Xuan's confidence came from.

"Chen Xuan is challenging the Young Miss; is he crazy?"

"Has Chen Xuan lost his sanity and is asking for a beating!"

Voices of discussion echoed in the square.

"Do you accept?" Chen Xuan’s voice sounded once more.

"Since you ask for a beating, I shall give it to you. I accept your challenge, but if you get hurt, don't blame me for not considering our past friendship," Yan Ruo said with annoyance, not knowing why she felt so unhappy.

"Good!" Chen Xuan said nonchalantly, then turned towards the exit.

"You can’t cultivate now; you can't compare yourself to me. One year from now, it will be the day you dig your own grave." Seeing Chen Xuan's retreating figure, Yan Ruo said angrily.

"I was once a genius, and I can be one again!!" Chen Xuan vanished from everyone's sight, leaving only his voice lingering in the air.

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