章 132: Chapter 132: The Breakup

Chapter 132: The Breakup

As the Liu family's old steward announced their arrival, all eyes in the hall turned toward Mo Yu and his companions. Mo Yu, with his handsome appearance and extraordinary aura, stood out like the sun, drawing the attention of many young women. Meanwhile, Qing Lin, Lin Fei, and Xue Mei, each with their unique charm—Qing Lin being cute and petite, Lin Fei mischievous and lively, and Xue Mei cool and elegant—also captivated many of the young people in the hall, who looked at them with eager eyes.

The middle-aged man seated at the head of the hall, Liu Ye, surveyed Mo Yu and his group before his gaze finally settled on Xue Mei. He looked her up and down, nodded slightly, and then smiled gently. "I am Liu Ye, the head of the Liu family. You must be Xue Mei, my niece. Although this is our first meeting, I can see a resemblance to your father. How has your father been?"

"Thank you for your concern, Uncle Liu. I have been studying alchemy under my teacher in the Jia Ma Empire for the past few years, but I keep in regular contact with my father. He is in good health," Xue Mei replied politely.

"Haha, Xue Mei, I've heard that you've been studying alchemy with a four-star alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire. That's a good thing. However, with your marriage to Xing'er approaching, I hope that after the wedding, you'll settle down here in the Mulan Empire. After all, this is your home," Liu Ye said calmly, his tone polite yet firm, leaving little room for argument.

Xue Mei was momentarily taken aback. She had heard that the Liu family wasn't too fond of alchemists, but she hadn't expected them to so quickly try to bind her with marriage.

"Miss Xue Mei, I am Liu Xing. This is the first time we've met since our betrothal was arranged. Your beauty is truly breathtaking," said the handsome young man who was seated to Liu Ye's left. He had stood up and was now smiling at Xue Mei.

Liu Xing looked at Xue Mei with a possessive glint in his eyes. Although he had initially been indifferent about marrying a woman he had never met, any reluctance disappeared the moment he saw her beauty. He was more than satisfied. However, his eyes flicked to Mo Yu, and for some reason, a sense of discomfort and even dislike rose within him.

The possessiveness typical of men made him resent the idea of his fiancée having any connection with another man. And yet, here Xue Mei was, boldly bringing a man into his family's home. To make matters worse, this young man's appearance and demeanor seemed to surpass his own, making Liu Xing feel an unsettling premonition.

"Young Master Liu Xing, hello," Xue Mei responded coolly, not showing much interest in his greeting.

She could sense the hidden possessiveness in Liu Xing's gaze, which she found deeply unpleasant, making her even more determined to end this engagement.

"Xue Mei, my niece, is there something you need to discuss with me?" Liu Ye asked, noticing her indifference towards Liu Xing. Although he frowned slightly, he didn't think much of it. After all, it wasn't unusual for arranged marriages to lack emotional foundations. He was confident that once Xue Mei married into the Liu family, she would naturally develop feelings for his son.

"Uncle Liu," Xue Mei began, her voice carrying a note of seriousness. As she spoke, she moved closer to Mo Yu, creating a scene that made the Liu family members in the hall feel a sense of foreboding. Even Liu Xing's expression grew increasingly dark as he saw Xue Mei standing beside Mo Yu, looking almost like a perfect couple. The cold look in his eyes hinted at a deep-seated animosity toward Mo Yu.

"Uncle Liu, as you know, I left home at a young age to study alchemy in the Jia Ma Empire. During my time there, I met Mo Yu, and we fell in love. The engagement between the Xue and Liu families was arranged by the previous generation. I came here to ask you, Uncle, to grant me and Mo Yu your blessing," Xue Mei said, her voice sincere.

The teacup in Liu Ye's hand trembled slightly, causing tea to spill and drip onto the floor. The hall fell into a tense silence as the Liu family members focused their attention on Mo Yu and Xue Mei, then looked back to Liu Ye, waiting for his reaction.

Some of the Liu family women could understand Xue Mei's desire to follow her heart and admired her for it. However, the reactions of the Liu family men ranged from calm acceptance to anger and mocking smiles.

Unlike the infamous breakup between Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yan, where Nalan Yanran had arrogantly used the influence of the Yun Lan Sect to forcefully break off the engagement, Xue Mei's approach was much more considerate. She appealed to emotion, using the pretext of mutual love to give the Liu family the option to gracefully bow out. This was also why Frank hadn't come in person—he wanted to avoid any perception of bullying the Liu family into a corner.

In the world of Dou Qi, arranged marriages between powerful families were common, but they were also frequently annulled for various reasons. If Nalan Yanran hadn't been so arrogant, her breakup with Xiao Yan wouldn't have become so bitter, and the subsequent three-year challenge might never have happened.

Seeing the stern, cold expression on Liu Ye's face, Xue Mei dared not raise her head. Mo Yu stepped forward, cupping his hands respectfully. "I am Mo Yu, Junior. Greetings, Master Liu. Xue Mei and I met by chance, and at the time, she was unaware of her engagement. Over the years, we have pledged ourselves to each other. I humbly ask Master Liu to bless our union."

Of course, these words were fabricated. Mo Yu had only known Xue Mei for a little over a month, and there was no real romantic relationship between them. However, the Liu family, located far away in the Mulan Empire, couldn't possibly know the truth.

As a professional, Mo Yu was committed to fulfilling the task he had promised to Frank, doing so to the best of his ability.

"Hmph, boy, who gave you the right to speak here!" came a cold voice. Liu Xing, his gaze full of malice, glared at Mo Yu. To him, this person was nothing more than a thief trying to steal his fiancée, and no amount of explanation could quell the anger he felt.

Liu Xing clenched his fists as a faint red Dou Qi gradually covered his right arm, eventually forming the faint outline of a red wolf's head. This was Liu Family's top-tier martial skill: Scarlet Wolf's Howl! It was a high-level Xuan class technique.

As Liu Xing prepared to attack, Mo Yu remained calm. Although Liu Xing was the heir of the Liu family, his strength was only at the level of a two-star Dou Shi. While that might be impressive among his peers, it was insignificant to Mo Yu, who saw him as little more than an ant.

Standing protectively in front of Xue Mei, Mo Yu didn't even bother to use any martial skills. Since he had consumed the Tiger Strength Pill, his physical strength alone was terrifying enough. Clenching his right fist, Mo Yu directly collided with Liu Xing's attack.

Seeing this, the young members of the Liu family mocked Mo Yu's foolishness. How could he face the strongest among their youth, their young master, without even using a martial skill? Surely he must be out of his mind, they thought.

However, some of the older members of the Liu family noticed something different. Even though Mo Yu didn't use any martial skills or even circulate his Dou Qi, the sheer physical power he displayed was akin to that of a magical beast. His small frame seemed to harbor an immense and terrifying strength.

Boom!

The collision of their fists produced a thunderous sound, and the shockwave caused ripples to appear in the tea cups on the nearby tables. Just as the young members of the Liu family expected their young master to easily overpower Mo Yu, they were stunned to see that the one being pushed back was none other than Liu Xing, the one they thought would surely win!

"How is this possible!?"

The young master's talent was renowned not only in Xihuang City but throughout the western region of the Mulan Empire. How could he lose to an unknown boy from who knows where? And to make matters worse, Mo Yu hadn't even used a martial skill—this was simply unbelievable!

Liu Xing staggered back several steps, rubbing his sore shoulder. During the clash, he felt an overwhelmingly powerful force, like a mountain pressing down on him, making him feel utterly powerless. Glancing at Mo Yu, who remained unmoved, Liu Xing's eyes burned with an unquenchable rage. Being defeated by someone younger than him was a bitter humiliation.

"You've succeeded in angering me, boy!"

Liu Xing's Dou Qi surged even more intensely, and with a flash of light from the ring on his hand, a long, cold, and imposing sword emitting a chilling aura appeared in his grasp. The temperature in the hall immediately dropped.

"The Ice Soul Sword!"

When the Liu family members saw the sword in Liu Xing's hand, they erupted into excited chatter. They all recognized this sword, known for its frosty aura. The Liu family was one of the few families skilled in weapon forging, so many of them understood something about forging techniques. Among the younger generation, Liu Xing was not only the most talented fighter but also the most skilled in forging, surpassing even some of the elders in the family.

Six months earlier, Liu Xing had passed the second-grade weapon forging master examination at the Weapon Alliance branch in Beast Wilderness City, even becoming a peripheral member of the Weapon Alliance. The Ice Soul Sword he held was a masterpiece he forged himself during that examination. Although the sword was only a second-grade weapon, its rare ice attribute placed it at the top tier of its class and had earned considerable fame within the family.

Mo Yu gazed at the Ice Soul Sword with interest. The Liu family's reputation as a weapon-forging family was well-deserved. Despite its low grade, this was the best weapon Mo Yu had seen, aside from those he had forged himself since his rebirth. The Dou Qi Continent truly was a wasteland for weapon forgers.

Seeing that Mo Yu's expression remained indifferent, Liu Xing's eyes filled with killing intent. As the proud young master of the Liu family, he felt an unprecedented sense of disdain from Mo Yu.

"Die, boy!"

Liu Xing gripped the Ice Soul Sword, and the chilling aura swept through the hall, causing a shiver to run down everyone's spine. Just as he was about to strike, a stern voice rang out.

"Xing'er, that's enough!"

The Liu family patriarch, Liu Ye, had stood up at some point, his expression cold and harsh as he looked at the scene before him.

"Xue Mei and her friends are our guests. Show some respect and stand down!" Liu Ye's gaze swept over Xue Mei and her companions before resting on Mo Yu. The display of power from the young man earlier had caught him off guard.

As the head of the Liu family, Liu Ye could tell that the young man Xue Mei had brought with her was someone with extraordinary talent.

"Father, Mo Yu, he..." Liu Xing began, but when he saw the increasingly stern and cold look on his father's face, he swallowed the rest of his words. In the Liu family, the patriarch's authority was absolute, even for his own son.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Xue Mei quickly stepped forward, coming up to Liu Ye. She bowed slightly and apologized.

"Uncle Liu, I'm sorry for the trouble we've caused. I hope you can forgive me for the sake of my father. Before I came here, my teacher knew this situation was quite impolite, so he asked me to bring you something as a token of apology."

As she spoke, Xue Mei lightly touched a ring on her finger, and an ancient jade box, glowing with a greenish hue, appeared in her hand.

Carefully opening the box, a rich medicinal fragrance filled the hall, refreshing everyone who inhaled it.

Some of the elders in the Liu family leaned forward curiously. When they saw what was inside the box, they gasped in shock.

"Tiger Strength Pill?"

Liu Ye also turned his attention to the box. As he looked at the brownish-yellow pill inside, the coldness in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a look of interest. He had heard of the Tiger Strength Pill before. It was a top-quality pill among four-star medicinal pills, and even as a Dou Ling powerhouse, it would be beneficial to him.

After a moment's thought, Liu Ye looked at Xue Mei, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. The marriage alliance between the Liu and Xue families had been a coincidence, a bridge to strengthen their relationship. But seeing Xue Mei's expression, he knew that a forced marriage would not bring happiness. Now that they had this four-star pill as compensation, perhaps it was better to...

"Father, I object!"

A sharp voice suddenly interrupted from outside. A young man with a dark and sinister expression slowly walked into the hall. Seeing this person, Qing Lin, who was standing behind Mo Yu, covered her rosy lips in shock.

"Young Master, that's the person from the flying beast..."

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