The path to immortality through martial arts begins with being forced into marriage!

The longsword in his hand, about to strike, was like a wall blocking his way. No matter how hard Cui Yi tried, he could not move it forward an inch!

Cui Yi was shocked and suddenly looked up!

In the shadows of the courtyard wall, a person had silently appeared without anyone noticing.

He was a middle-aged man dressed in a simple gray long gown, who appeared to be around forty or fifty years old.

The other person stood there with their hands behind their back, seemingly blending into the surrounding darkness, almost unnoticed unless deliberately revealed.

He didn't release any powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, but when his calm and unwavering eyes looked at Cui Yi, Cui Yi instantly felt an unfathomable pressure!

Master!

At least at the Foundation Establishment stage, or even higher!

They are far superior to these two Qi Refining mid-stage disciples on the ground!

"It is wrong for members of the same clan to kill each other, and it is a major taboo in clan rules to kill each other."

The middle-aged man in the gray shirt spoke slowly, his voice calm, yet carrying a detached air of someone who had long held a high position.

"Put down the sword in your hand."

Cui Yi knew that given the strength this person had displayed and the timing of his appearance, he was no match for him, and insisting on taking action would only cause the situation to spiral out of control.

Moreover, the other party didn't seem to intend to attack him; otherwise, he probably wouldn't be standing here talking right now.

After a moment's consideration, Cui Yi slowly sheathed his sword, his gaze fixed firmly on the other person, and asked, "Are you also a member of the Cui clan?"

The middle-aged man nodded slightly: "Clan steward, Cui Yue."

"deacon?"

Cui Yi's lips curled into a sarcastic smile. "Where were you, Steward Cui, when these two broke into my house and injured my family? Where were the clan rules?"

Cui Yue frowned almost imperceptibly, but his tone remained calm: "Their actions were indeed inappropriate, and I will bring them back to the clan to be punished according to the rules."

"But if you kill them, the situation is completely different."

"Completely different?"

Cui Yi laughed, but his laughter was filled with chilling intent.

"May I ask, Deacon Cui, if I were to be defeated tonight, captured and interrogated, even subjected to a soul search, and have my so-called opportunity stolen, would you also appear in time to say that fratricide is wrong, and then punish them according to the rules?"

Cui Yue fell silent.

Under the moonlight, his face was hidden in shadow, and his expression was not clearly visible.

The only sounds in the courtyard were the howling night wind and the faint groans of the two people on the ground.

This silence itself is an answer.

After a long silence, Cui Yue finally spoke, his voice still calm and even: "You are very smart and courageous, and your strength far exceeds the clan's assessment of you."

His gaze swept over the two seriously injured disciples on the ground, then turned to Cui Yi: "The clan is not a monolithic entity. There are those like them who are eager to make a name for themselves, and there are those who value strength and potential more than outdated bloodline theories."

Cui Yi listened quietly, offering no comment.

Cui Yue continued, "You have already incurred their mortal enmity. According to clan rules, blood feuds among members of the same clan are difficult to resolve unless one party dies or a higher authority intervenes to mediate and provide a new way out."

"At the end of this year, the clan will hold a grand competition. If you can register as a member of a branch family and make it into the top three..."

"At that time, I can ask the clan elders to use the excuse of a genius returning to the clan to clear your lineage of the name of a traitor."

"Not only will your branch be allowed to rejoin the clan genealogy and enjoy corresponding resources and status."

"Today's matter can be wiped clean."

Cui Yi gave a cold laugh: "Fine, I will participate in this year's competition, but I won't go to claim my ancestry; I will go to seek justice!"

"At that time, I will sweep aside the younger generation. I only hope that the clan's geniuses will not disappoint me!"

Although the words were said in a very frivolous way, Cui Yi did not think there was anything wrong with them, and even considered them rather conservative.

With the existence of the Nine-Layered Pagoda, few geniuses in this world can grow faster than him!

If things develop smoothly enough, then not only the younger generation of the cooking clan, but even the older generation of cultivators may not be as strong as him!

"Very good. I hope your talent, like your courage, will impress me during the clan competition."

Cui Yue's eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't say anything. He simply swept the two people lying on the ground away with a flick of his hand.

It wasn't until some time after Cui Yue left that Xu Yunyan struggled to stand up and tightly hugged the trembling Tang'er in her arms.

"Yi'er...who are they?"

As Cui Yi helped the two women into the house, he explained in a deep voice, "This is the first time I've seen them either. All I know is that they are a group of people who call themselves the Cui clan."

"The reason why my third uncle and his gang dared to be so presumptuous was partly because they thought I had no one in my family, and partly because of the confidence these guys gave me."

"You agreed to participate in that big competition? Isn't that dangerous? Why don't we run away?"

Xu Yunyan said with a worried expression. She didn't understand the intricacies of cultivators; she only knew that the place was very dangerous.

Most importantly, they have been exposed. If they can come once today, who can guarantee that they won't come a second time?

"At this point, we can only take it one step at a time."

Cui Yi frowned. Although his act of declaring war on all the younger generation of the clan might bring him a few days of peace, he couldn't guarantee that Tang'er and Xu Yunyan wouldn't be kidnapped like they were today.

This Cui Family Village cannot be allowed to remain!

"Sister Yunyan, I will take you away from here in three days."

Xu Yunyan nodded blankly, the shock from today's events still lingering.

But then something occurred to her, and a deeper unease surfaced in her eyes: "But...where can we go if we leave here?"

Upon hearing this, even Tang'er fell silent.

Yes.

Where can they go after they leave here?

Purchasing land and houses requires silver. Although the land deed of the Cui family's ancestral home can be exchanged for some money, how much is this remote place worth?

Having left my homeland and being a stranger in a strange land, life in Cuijia Village these past years has been very poor, but at least I had a place to shelter from the wind and rain.

Will I be able to find a suitable place to stay elsewhere?

"There's no need to worry about the money for now."

Seeing their worried expressions, Cui Yi's brows relaxed.

He reached into his robes, took out something, and gently placed it in Xu Yunyan's slightly cool palm.

Xu Yunyan subconsciously looked down—

It was a few silver notes.

When she saw the clearly written amount on the paper, she was suddenly jolted, her pupils contracted sharply, and her breath caught in her throat.

A face value of one hundred taels?

Six?

That's six hundred taels?!

She suddenly looked up at Cui Yi, her lips trembling, but no sound came out.

The paper that her fingertips touched seemed to be burning hot, making it almost impossible for Xu Yunyan to hold it steady.

Her embroidery skills were renowned for their exquisiteness in Cuijia Village and even several nearby villages. Even so, she could only earn one or two taels of silver a month at most, and that was when she was lucky and had a constant stream of work.

This six hundred taels would be enough for her to embroider for nearly thirty years without eating or drinking!

No, not only that, if you include daily expenses, it might take forty or fifty years...

That's a length that seems endless, almost a lifetime away.