The receiving hall had fallen completely silent.
The arrival of the Wei Family had changed the atmosphere entirely.
What had originally been a dispute between the Su and Liu Families had now become something much larger.
On one side stood the Su Family Patriarch and several elders.
On the other stood Liu Ruyan, the Jade Sword Palace elder, the Jade Sword Palace's young master, and now the Wei Family Patriarch accompanied by his heir.
The surrounding guards could feel the pressure.
Nobody dared speak casually.
The Su Family Patriarch's expression remained cold.
His eyes swept across the people standing before him before finally settling on Liu Ruyan.
Then...
Footsteps sounded behind him.
Everyone turned.
A young man slowly walked into the receiving hall.
His appearance was above average.
His features were refined, his complexion slightly pale, and his eyes carried a calmness that didn't match his age.
His clothes were simple.
His cultivation aura was almost nonexistent.
The moment he entered, whispers immediately spread among the surrounding guards and disciples.
"That's Su Yang?"
"The Su Family Young Master?"
"So that's what he looks like."
"I heard he's already over thirteen."
"Why can't I sense any Internal Energy from him?"
"Because he doesn't have any."
"He's actually unable to cultivate Internal Martial Arts?"
The whispers gradually became louder.
Some people looked at Su Yang with curiosity.
Others looked at him with pity.
A few couldn't hide their contempt.
After all...
Liu Ruyan was already a Core Disciple of the Jade Sword Palace.
Her name had even appeared on the Human Martial List.
Su Yang was merely a young man who had struggled to accumulate Internal Energy. Albeit having a small achievement in external arts.
The difference between them was enormous.
Liu Ruyan's cultivation had already reached the Major Accomplishment of the True Essence Realm.
That was a level Su Yang couldn't even comprehend.
The Jade Sword Palace young master looked at Su Yang before revealing a faint smile.
"So..."
"This is the famous Su Family Young Master."
His tone carried undisguised mockery.
One of the younger Jade Sword Palace disciples couldn't help laughing.
"What makes him worthy of standing beside Senior Sister Liu?"
Another disciple immediately added.
"Exactly."
"Senior Sister Liu is already ranked seventy-ninth on the Human Martial List."
"Even among the younger generation throughout Dongtai Prefecture, she is an existence countless people can only look up to."
"And this person..."
"He doesn't even possess Internal Energy."
The surrounding disciples chuckled.
Su Yang heard every word.
Yet his expression remained completely calm.
He slowly walked toward his father.
"Father."
The Su Patriarch glanced at him.
"Yang'er."
Su Yang stood beside him.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then his gaze shifted toward Liu Ruyan.
Their eyes met.
Liu Ruyan's expression was complicated.
She had known Su Yang since childhood.
She had once thought that perhaps their engagement could eventually become a real marriage.
But as they grew older...
The difference between them became increasingly obvious.
She had cultivated rapidly.
Su Yang had remained trapped.
Even so...
Seeing him standing there now, she couldn't help feeling a strange sense of unease.
Su Yang calmly walked forward.
Every step echoed throughout the receiving hall.
He stopped several meters before Liu Ruyan.
Then...
He reached inside his robes.
A folded document appeared in his hand.
The Su Family Patriarch's expression changed.
"Yang'er..."
Su Yang didn't look back.
His eyes remained fixed upon Liu Ruyan.
"This is the engagement contract."
Liu Ruyan's pupils contracted.
Su Yang slowly unfolded it.
The ancient seal belonging to both families was clearly visible.
"I know why you came."
"I also know why everyone is standing behind you."
His voice was calm.
"You want to cancel our engagement."
Liu Ruyan remained silent.
Su Yang nodded slightly.
"Fine."
He raised the contract.
Rip!
The sound of tearing paper echoed through the hall.
Everyone froze.
Su Yang tore the engagement contract in half.
Then again.
And again.
Fragments slowly fell from his fingers.
The entire receiving hall became deathly silent.
Liu Ruyan's eyes widened.
Even the Jade Sword Palace disciples stopped smiling.
The Wei Family Patriarch's eyebrows rose slightly.
Su Yang looked directly at Liu Ruyan.
"You came here to cancel our engagement."
"But..."
"I'll be the one to end it."
Liu Ruyan's expression changed.
"Su Yang..."
"I don't need your pity."
"I don't need your family's protection."
"And I certainly won't cling to someone who has already chosen another path."
His gaze remained steady.
"From today onward..."
"The engagement between the Su Family and Liu Family is cancelled."
The Jade Sword Palace young master's smile disappeared.
He clearly hadn't expected this.
"You're divorcing Senior Sister Liu?"
Su Yang turned toward him.
"Do you have a problem with that?"
The young man's eyes narrowed. Women getting divorced or refused marriage was a bad hit on their reputations.
"You're quite confident for someone who can't even cultivate Internal Energy."
The next instant...
Boom!
A powerful aura erupted from his body.
The pressure of Early Xuan Gang instantly filled the receiving hall.
Several Su Family guards staggered backward.
The surrounding air seemed to become heavier.
The Su Patriarch's eyes turned cold.
His own peak Xuan Gang aura exploded outward.
Boom!
The two forces collided.
But before the Su Patriarch could push forward...
Another two powerful auras erupted.
The Wei Family Patriarch.
And the Jade Sword Palace elder.
The four Xuan Gang auras collided violently.
The receiving hall trembled.
Several tables cracked.
The surrounding guards hurriedly retreated.
The Su Patriarch's expression became grim.
"You dare pressure my son in my family?"
The Jade Sword Palace elder calmly replied.
"Patriarch Su, calm yourself."
"My disciple merely wished to teach him some manners."
Su Yang remained standing.
The pressure surrounding him was enormous.
His muscles trembled.
His face became slightly pale.
Yet...
He didn't retreat.
Not even one step.
His father looked toward him.
"Yang'er."
Su Yang raised his hand.
"Father."
"I'm fine."
His eyes remained fixed on Liu Ruyan.
Then...
He spoke.
"Liu Ruyan."
"If you truly believe that our engagement should end..."
"I won't stop you."
"But..."
"If you want to avoid being remembered as someone who abandoned her childhood fiancé because he became a cripple..."
"Then give me five years."
Liu Ruyan's eyes narrowed.
"Five years?"
Su Yang nodded.
"Five years."
"At that time..."
"We'll fight."
"If I lose..."
"I'll personally admit that I was never worthy of standing beside you."
"But if I win..."
"Then you will acknowledge that today's decision was wrong."
The hall became completely silent.
Everyone stared at him as though he had lost his mind.
Challenge Liu Ruyan?
Five years later?
A young man who couldn't cultivate Internal Energy...
Against a Core Disciple of the Jade Sword Palace who had already reached Major Accomplishment of True Essence?
Liu Ruyan remained silent.
She studied Su Yang carefully.
His expression contained no madness.
No arrogance.
Only determination.
After several breaths...
She nodded.
"Five years."
"I accept."
She knew the outcome was already obvious.
How could a person like Su Yang possibly surpass her in five years?
Yet accepting the challenge allowed her to leave without completely crushing the dignity of the Su Family.
The Jade Sword Palace young master suddenly laughed.
"Interesting."
He stepped forward.
Su Yang turned toward him.
"You....What is your name?"
The young man's expression became smug once more.
"Han Yu."
"Jade Sword Palace."
"Human Martial List..."
"Forty-second."
Su Yang's eyes sharpened.
Han Yu smiled.
"When you're strong enough..."
"Come find me."
Su Yang nodded slowly.
"Good."
"Good."
His fists tightened.
"I'll remember that name."
Han Yu's smile widened.
The Jade Sword Palace elder immediately turned toward Liu Ruyan.
"Let's go."
Liu Ruyan glanced at Su Yang one final time.
Then she turned and left.
The Wei Family followed.
The receiving hall gradually became quiet.
The Su Patriarch looked around.
"Everyone..."
"Leave."
The elders exchanged glances before slowly withdrawing.
Only Su Yang and his father remained.
The Patriarch stared at his son.
"Come with me."
Su Yang nodded.
As father and son disappeared into the inner courtyard...