Chapter 11 - Peerless Beauty

What greeted Long Chen's eyes was a stunning beauty; her eyebrows were like willow leaves, her eyes like autumn waters, her skin as white as jade, and her lips like red dots. Her long, waterfall-like hair cascaded down her waist. When she saw Long Chen enter, her beautiful eyes met his, causing his heart to race wildly. This girl seemed like a fairy untouched by the mortal world; her presence turned the entire room into a celestial paradise. Long Chen was momentarily entranced, staring dumbfounded at her. The girl's jade-like cheeks turned slightly red, and she avoided Long Chen's gaze. Seeing this, Lady Long coughed lightly and said, "Chen'er, aren't you going to greet Meng Qi? She's your betrothed, promised by a childhood engagement." Lady Long's face was full of joy when she spoke of the engagement, but Long Chen was taken aback. He was surprised to find he had such a marriage arrangement that he was unaware of. "Greetings, Lady Meng Qi," Long Chen finally responded after his mother kept signaling him, bowing slightly. Meng Qi's pretty face blushed with a tinge of red, and she returned the bow. However, her cherry lips moved slightly, but she didn't utter a word. Lady Long smiled and said, "Meng Qi, you and Long Chen are both young. You two chat for a bit; I'll go prepare some food." With those words, Lady Long gave Long Chen an encouraging look and then left the room, leaving only the two of them. Facing such a celestial being, Long Chen felt a little at a loss for the first time. After a long pause, he finally managed to say, "Please, have a seat." Meng Qi gently shook her head, looked at Long Chen, and a complex emotion flashed in her beautiful eyes. "Long Chen, there's something I want to tell you. Can we go somewhere else to talk?" Long Chen was slightly taken aback but still nodded. The two left the Long family residence and found a secluded spot. To Long Chen's astonishment, Meng Qi extended her jade-like hand in front of her chest, forming seals. Seeing the technique, Long Chen almost cried out because he recognized the power of this technique—it was a contract summoning, a skill possessed by beast tamers. "Buzz" Suddenly, the space fluctuated, confirming Long Chen's suspicions. A creature with the head of a lion and the body of an eagle, over three zhang (10 meters) long, appeared before them, emanating a vast aura. Though Long Chen couldn't cultivate before, he was knowledgeable about magical beasts from his studies. This beast was known as a Griffin, a terrifying second-tier magical beast. The Griffin before them was not yet fully mature, but its combat strength was such that even a typical Blood Condensation Realm expert wouldn't be its match. However, the Griffin, which appeared extremely fierce, was incredibly docile in front of Meng Qi, lying obediently on the ground. Meng Qi gracefully stepped onto the Griffin's back and said to Long Chen, "Come up." Long Chen glanced at Meng Qi, saw a hint of panic in her eyes, and after a moment of hesitation, stepped up. Standing on the back of a magical beast for the first time, Long Chen felt a bit nervous. If this creature went berserk, it could eat people. "Whoosh" The Griffin suddenly spread its wings, and its massive form soared into the sky with the two of them. As it took off, Long Chen almost got thrown off. Suddenly, a jade hand stabilized Long Chen, alleviating his awkwardness. Seeing the playful look on Meng Qi's face, as if she wanted to laugh but was embarrassed to do so, Long Chen couldn't help but feel awkward. "I'm a bit dizzy with heights," Long Chen smiled slightly, finding a clumsy excuse. Meng Qi couldn't help but giggle, but then she blushed and turned her face away. The Griffin flew swiftly, leaving the Imperial Capital in no time, landing on the Sunset Mountain outside the city. By this time, the sky was growing dark, and the sunset was like blood, casting a beautiful scene over the entire Imperial Capital. Standing atop the mountain, neither of them spoke. Long Chen looked at the Imperial Capital, and a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes. "Long Chen, I..." Meng Qi hesitated for a long time, finally taking a deep breath and softly said. "Are you here to annul the engagement?" Long Chen asked without turning around, his eyes still on the Imperial Capital. Meng Qi's heart trembled, and a look of disbelief appeared on her pretty face. "You... knew?" "I guessed," Long Chen slowly retracted his gaze, looking at Meng Qi's flawless jade-like face, and said, "Thank you." "Thank me?" Meng Qi was puzzled. "Thank you for not mentioning it in front of my mother, for not making her sad, and for considering my dignity. So, I thank you," Long Chen smiled. Meng Qi looked at Long Chen. Over the past few days, she had learned all about Long Chen's recent situation. She had imagined how furious Long Chen would be upon hearing this news, how he would rage, and even curse, but she never expected to encounter such a situation. "I know you are a prodigy, able to tame a second-tier magical beast at such a young age. And I am merely a mortal now; we are from two different worlds. You are not wrong to do this, and you shouldn't feel bad," Long Chen smiled warmly, making people feel comfortable. However, seeing that smile, Meng Qi's heart inexplicably ached. This young man had already endured too much misfortune, and she was about to sprinkle salt on his wounds—isn't that too heartless? "Give me a few days; I will convince my mother to annul the engagement. I promise you won't have to wait long." After speaking, Long Chen turned and slowly walked away. The setting sun's afterglow illuminated his thin figure, making it appear somewhat desolate on the mountain path. Watching Long Chen's departing figure, tears welled up in Meng Qi's beautiful eyes, and she covered her cherry lips with her jade hand. "Is what I'm doing right or wrong?" Behind Meng Qi, a girl walked up, gently comforting her, "Sister, since you've already spoken, let's resolve it completely. But this Long Chen is indeed quite pitiful." The two girls watched Long Chen's figure until it disappeared completely. After descending the mountain, Long Chen's mood grew increasingly gloomy. When he first saw Meng Qi, he felt a deep admiration for her. Meng Qi's demeanor, like a fairy from the Nine Heavens, moved Long Chen, a mere mortal—who wouldn't be moved? But just as that admiration arose, it was doused with a bucket of cold water before he could express it. No one would feel good in their heart. Long Chen's soul was exceptionally strong, making him sensitive to others' emotions. When Meng Qi showcased her strength by summoning the Griffin, he sensed something was wrong, leading to their subsequent conversation. "Not even in love, yet already heartbroken." Long Chen felt a wave of sorrow. He wanted to scream, after enduring so much grievance and oppression, he never cried, but this time he truly felt like crying. He could sense that Meng Qi was a kind-hearted girl, otherwise she wouldn't have cared about his feelings, she could have annulled the engagement in the most direct way. Long Chen didn't want to annul the engagement either, but what could he do? Cry and plead? Alright, if it could really change things, Long Chen wouldn't mind losing face once. But even if he did, it would be meaningless. Better to part amicably. Despite the pain in his heart, Long Chen held it in. By the time he returned home, it was already dark. As soon as Long Chen returned, his mother bombarded him with questions about what they talked about, if there was any progress, or any intimate gestures. Feeling helpless, Long Chen finally managed to respond and then asked, "Mother, how did my engagement with Meng Qi come about? Why didn't you ever mention it to me?" Hearing Long Chen's question, Lady Long's eyes showed a trace of pain, but she quickly covered it up. She told Long Chen that the two families were once very close. Long Chen's father and Meng Qi's father were life-and-death brothers. Later, they became sworn brothers and vowed that if they had children, if both were boys, they would be brothers, if both girls, sisters, and if one of each, they would be wed. Long Chen slightly pursed his lips, thinking they were spirited and bold, but it left him in a difficult situation. "Mother, I feel that Meng Qi and I might not be suitable," Long Chen thought for a long time, finally biting the bullet and saying. "What?" Lady Long's face changed slightly, looking at Long Chen in disbelief. "Ahem, mother, please don't get agitated. What I mean is, I feel that Meng Qi and I might not be suitable. After all..." Long Chen said with some difficulty. "Nonsense, what are you saying? Meng Qi is like a celestial being; how could she not be suitable for you?" Lady Long scolded angrily. "Mother, listen to me. Love is about mutual consent and understanding. It's a bit too arbitrary for you to arrange a marriage without consulting us," Long Chen smiled. "You... you're really going to drive me mad," Lady Long couldn't listen to Long Chen's words and was crying. Long Chen felt awkward, but he couldn't tell the truth, so he just stood there awkwardly. After a while, Lady Long suddenly asked, "Chen'er, tell me the truth, did Meng Qi change her mind?" "How could that be? Meng Qi is a good girl; it's just me feeling a bit overwhelmed and unable to accept it," Long Chen quickly said. "Don't say anymore, child. It's your father and I who have wronged you." Lady Long wasn't stupid. She knew Long Chen's temperament well; with a bit of thought, she realized it wasn't that simple, and she embraced Long Chen, crying. "Mother, it's not as bad as you think. I just said we're not suitable now, not that we won't be in the future," Long Chen smiled. "I plan to annul the engagement first, then your son, with his abilities, will pursue her again and continue to make her your daughter-in-law. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?" Long Chen grinned. "Hmph, it's not that easy. Meng Qi is as beautiful as a celestial, and there are countless people pursuing her. Once the engagement is annulled, what chance would you have?" Lady Long sighed and continued, "You're right, these things can't be forced. Since it's your marriage, and you've grown up, you should decide." "Thank you, Mother," Long Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief. Lady Long took out an ancient wooden box from under the bed, extracted a thin piece of paper from it, and handed it to Long Chen, "This is your marriage contract. If you wish to annul the engagement, just destroy the contract." Long Chen took the thin piece of paper, feeling a mix of emotions, like overturning a bottle of flavors. A celestial-like bride just slipped away, leaving him feeling aggrieved.