"Welcome, Fellow Daoists of the Lin Clan!"
A chorus of harmonious voices greeted the newly arrived delegation. The warm tones echoed across the courtyard of the Jade Harmony Sect.
The Lin Clan's carriages and flying swords descended together — a spectacle of status and grace. The moment their boots touched the marble ground, sect servants rushed forward with practiced smiles, carrying trays of fragrant tea and fruits.
The Lin Clan elders dismounted with calm authority, their younger disciples following with decorum. Lin Ming, however, stepped down last — one of the few who arrived in a creaking carriage rather than upon a flying sword. His robes were plain, his posture relaxed, and his eyes wandered across the formations of the sect's courtyard with quiet curiosity.
To many, he looked utterly out of place.
Gifts were exchanged between elders — spirit stones, talismans, and bottles of fragrant pills — all while maidens of both factions gracefully carried embroidered chests from one side to the other.
Then,
Teng Chi, senior disciple of the Jade Harmony Sect and widely regarded as its most talented sword cultivator, made his appearance amid the ceremonial bustle. He wore eye-catching robes, and his aura pulsed with confidence—calm yet incredibly powerful.
A younger disciple hurriedly bowed beside him and whispered, "Senior Brother Teng, that one... he is Lin Ming."
Using his divine sense, Teng Chi swept over Lin Ming, finding a complete void. There were no spiritual roots, only a purely mortal bloodline and physique. His consciousness was weak, and there was zero trace of spiritual power—Lin Ming was simply a mortal, no different from the common folk selling wares. Gritting his teeth, Teng Chi still couldn't fathom Su's agreement to the arrangement. Was she honoring a promise made to the Lin family's deceased Great Sword Elder? If that was the case, he would personally intervene and persuade her otherwise.
"A cripple," Teng Chi muttered inwardly, his teeth gritting ever so slightly. "She agreed... to marry that?"
His chest tightened with the thought of it, her marrying a cripple. He had sparred alongside Su Yueru countless times and knew her well, from her elegance, to her purity, and her unshakable focus—she was a snow lotus blooming atop a frozen peak. How could such a pristine woman agree to tie herself to a mortal?
Perhaps it was the promise her father made to the Lin Clan's late Great Sword Elder.
Yes, that had to be it.
But Teng Chi told himself that such a fate was unjust — to bind the sect ice fairy to someone like Lin Ming.
....
With the greeting formalities finally complete, Teng Chi later made his way through the Spirit Vein Peak. This sanctified mountain that served as the main layout for the jade harmony sect, was richly laced with flowing rivers of spiritual energy. Inside its inner cavern, where snow crystals shimmered faintly in the air, lay the private domain of Su Yueru
She sat upon a jade lotus mat, as faint motes of ice Qi circled around her, and her breathing remained perfectly tranquil. Her beauty, sharp and intense, seemed to eclipse the surrounding frost.
"Junior Sister Su," Teng Chi greeted, his voice respectful yet low.
Her eyes opened, revealing a gaze that was calm, crystalline, and distant. "Senior Brother Teng," she replied with a slight bow. "You honor me with your visit."
He smiled and produced a small, frosted bottle. "A humble gift. The Crystal Core Elixir. It will aid your formation of the Golden Core."
She rose and accepted it with a light bow. "Your kindness, as always, is remembered."
Teng Chi stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Do not bow. You know I do not come as a senior today... only as someone concerned for you."
Her brow arched slightly,
"I saw your betrothed today," he said, each word deliberate. "That mortal boy — Lin Ming."
Her expression remained calm, though her fingers subtly tightened around the elixir.
"You would marry him?" Teng Chi continued, his voice now sharp. "An immortal can't walk the same path as a mortal! He would die before you even reach the middle stage of Golden Core. He's nothing but a cripple who shouldn't be allowed anywhere near our sect."
She remained silent.
"If it is your father's promise that binds you," he pressed, "I will speak to the sect. I will speak to the Lin Clan. One word from you, and this union ends."
"Senior Brother," Su Yueru said softly, "do not speak of what you do not understand."
That only ignited him further. "Understand? That you will throw your future away for sentiment? That a crippled mortal will share your Dao path?!"
When she turned her gaze upon him, her eyes were like glacial blades—cold enough to freeze arrogance itself. "Enough."
But Teng Chi's restraint shattered. His hand darted forward, grabbing her slender waist, his voice dropping into a possessive growl. "I will not allow another man to touch what I have protected for years."
The air instantly turned frigid.
A sound cracked through the mountain—a single, ringing slap.
Teng Chi staggered back, ice blooming across his cheek where her palm had struck. Frost rapidly spread over his robes, sealing his hand in a cage of ice.
Su Yueru's voice was quiet — dead calm.
"Senior Brother, do not mistake kindness for affection. You may speak of Dao and devotion... but never of my chastity again."
She turned, her steps echoing softly as she walked deeper into the frozen cave, leaving only shards of ice and Teng Chi's wounded pride behind.