Chapter 1 A Little Fling

"Huangfu Yan, I'll say it again, there's nothing between me and Mr. Chen. Why would I want to break off our engagement? Don't you know the reason in your own heart?"

Chu Qingluan scolded with a delicate voice.

"You're still pretending? The two of you, a lone man and woman, flirting and teasing each other in the dead of night, and you still won't admit you're having an affair? Do I have to catch you in bed to prove it?"

It was as if Huangfu Yan had some kind of cuckold complex. Even though nothing had happened, he was already imagining a vivid scene.

Chu Qingluan was speechless.

Huangfu Yan was being completely unreasonable, only believing what he imagined. No matter how much she explained, it would be futile.

Just as she was about to rebuke Huangfu Yan, Chen Xiao suddenly jumped from the flying sword, landing on the bird's back and wrapping his arm around Chu Qingluan's waist.

In an instant, half of Chu Qingluan's body went numb, and her slender waist became incredibly stiff.

"That's right, we are having an affair. What can you do about it?"

Chen Xiao pulled Chu Qingluan into his arms, looking at Huangfu Yan provocatively.

He couldn't let himself be wrongly accused. You say I'm having an affair with your fiancée?

Fine, then I'll make it a reality for you to see!

After a brief moment of stiffness, Chu Qingluan didn't struggle out of Chen Xiao's embrace. Instead, she leaned even closer to him.

Huangfu Yan's mind was in turmoil, like an erupting volcano. His anger was beyond words.

"You adulterous couple, I'm going to kill you!"

Huangfu Yan lost control again, his veins bulging, his face turning bluish-black.

Chen Xiao's eyes narrowed slightly. This person had a powerful resentment, and it didn't seem like the kind of resentment a living person should have.

At the same time, a chorus of ghostly wails echoed around them.

Chu Qingluan trembled, clinging tightly to Chen Xiao, her arms instinctively wrapping around him as if grasping a lifeline.

This scene only further enraged Huangfu Yan, his expression becoming even more twisted, on the verge of completely losing control.

But just then, a furious shout came from afar.

"Huangfu Yan, stop right there!"

Following the sound, a streak of fire flew rapidly towards them.

Upon closer inspection, the fire was not real fire, but a Fire Phoenix, its golden feathers shimmering like flames in the night.

Riding the Fire Phoenix was Chu He.

Hearing Huangfu Yan's words, "I'm going to kill you," he had hurried over as fast as he could.

Seeing Chu He, Huangfu Yan immediately calmed down, the bluish-black color fading from his face, returning to normal.

"Huangfu Yan, what do you think you're doing! My Zhushen Temple (Godslaying Temple) is not a place for you to run wild!"

The Fire Phoenix arrived in an instant, and Chu He shouted angrily.

"Uncle Chu, you've finally arrived! Take a look at this adulterous couple! Your daughter is putting a green hat on me!"

Huangfu Yan pointed at Chen Xiao and Chu Qingluan, feeling confident because he believed he held the moral high ground.

Chu He followed Huangfu Yan's finger and was immediately stunned, because Chu Qingluan was still clinging tightly to Chen Xiao, looking extremely intimate.

Only then did Chu Qingluan realize what was happening, quickly pushing Chen Xiao away, her face flushed as she explained, "Father, it's not what you think..."

Facts speak louder than words, and her explanation sounded somewhat weak.

Chen Xiao simply said calmly, "Temple Master Chu, I was only protecting your daughter, nothing more. Don't overthink it."

Chu He felt a little awkward. He didn't object to his daughter being with Chen Xiao... but wasn't this developing a little too fast?

These young people these days...

Just as he was lamenting how open young people were these days, Huangfu Yan's noisy voice rang in his ears again.

"Uncle Chu, you've seen the facts. Will you take action, or should I do it myself?"

"Take action? Take what action?"

Chu He was slightly taken aback.

"Your daughter is unchaste! Are you still going to keep her? Back in the day, she would have been paraded through the streets and drowned in a pig cage!"

Huangfu Yan said sternly.

"Drowned in a pig cage? Yan'er, those are things of the past! Now that this has happened, we can just cancel the engagement. Why are you still pressing the issue?"

The old fox Chu He had been worried about finding a reason to cancel the engagement ever since he learned that Huangfu Yan was practicing the way of ghosts.

Now, everything was much simpler.

And most importantly, if his daughter really ended up with Chen Xiao, he would definitely support it wholeheartedly!

"You... Chu He, are you doing this to become enemies with my Lingxiao (Soaring Heavens) Palace?"

Huangfu Yan gritted his teeth, glaring hatefully at Chu He. He didn't even call him Uncle Chu anymore.

Chu He snorted coldly, saying proudly, "Huangfu Yan, as far as I know, your father is still alive, isn't he? When did the Lingxiao Palace become your domain?"

Huangfu Yan clenched his fists, his expression shifting. He was contemplating what the consequences would be if he fell out with Chu He now.

After thinking it over, he decided that falling out with Chu He now was not a wise decision, but he couldn't just let this matter rest!

"Uncle Chu, you're right. The Lingxiao Palace is indeed not mine to control, but my father will definitely stand up for me. I will return to the Lingxiao Palace today to report this matter to my father, and you can wait to face his wrath! Farewell!"

After saying that, he stepped onto the white-feathered golden eagle beneath him and flew away.

Watching the white-feathered golden eagle fly further and further away, Chu Qingluan couldn't help but ask, "Father, are we just going to let him go?"

"What else can we do? Are we supposed to lock him up? If we did that, we would be in the wrong, and the Lingxiao Palace would have even more reason to start a war with us."

Chu He said helplessly.

"I'm sorry, Father, it's all my fault... If I had been a little more patient, maybe this wouldn't have happened..."

Chu Qingluan said apologetically.

"Forget it, it's not your fault. You don't have to blame yourself."

Chu He said calmly.

"I'm sorry, Temple Master Chu. I didn't expect my little joke to cause so much trouble for you. Don't worry, if the Lingxiao Palace comes looking for trouble with the Zhushen Temple, I, Chen Xiao, will definitely not stand idly by."

Chen Xiao said with conviction.

"Mr. Chen, this matter is not really related to you. Sooner or later, our Zhushen Temple, or rather, the entire Ancient Martial World, will have a great battle with the Lingxiao Palace. This is just a little earlier than expected."

Chu He said casually.

"Temple Master Chu, why is that? As far as I know, your temple and the Lingxiao Palace have always been very close."

Chen Xiao asked in confusion.

Then, Chu Qingluan explained about Huangfu Yan practicing the way of ghosts.

After listening to Chu Qingluan's explanation, Chen Xiao suddenly understood. "No wonder Huangfu Yan had such a strong resentment about him."

At that moment, Chu He changed the subject and suddenly said, "Mr. Chen, I wonder if you have some time. I have something I'd like to discuss with you in private..."