Chapter 317: Chapter 316: Half-Saint Zhu Yan
The stunningly beautiful girl with a pure and innocent air stood up and said, "Auntie!"
Fang Yao introduced them, "Shu Feng, this is Zhu Binglan, a daughter from the Zhu Clan’s main line. Binglan, this is Shu Feng."
Zhu Binglan smiled faintly. "Hello, Shu Feng. I also graduated from Shuijing High School. I’m just a few years your senior."
Shu Feng smiled. "Hello, senior."
Fang Yao promptly stood up and strode outside. "Alright! I’ll leave you young people to chat. I’ll be on my way."
Silence fell in the pavilion.
"Shu Feng, I’m sure you know why we’re meeting. My father wants to arrange a marriage between us, to form an alliance between our families."
"However, I already have someone I love. If you still want to marry me to form the alliance, that’s not impossible. In public, we can pretend to be a loving couple. In private, you can have your fun, and I’ll have mine. We won’t interfere with each other. How about it?"
"This way, you can also gain access to our Zhu Clan’s resources and advance even further."
As soon as Fang Yao left, the amiable smile on Zhu Binglan’s face vanished, replaced by an impenetrable iciness and indifference. A flash of disgust flickered in her beautiful eyes as she stared coldly at Shu Feng.
The Major Noble Families and Clans often engaged in political marriages, forcing many men and women with no feelings for each other together. It was a miserable experience for both parties. Therefore, it was quite normal among these Clans and Noble Families for couples to have their own separate affairs.
Shu Feng said flatly, "In that case, let’s forget it. I didn’t want to marry into your Zhu Clan anyway. What about Zhu Guangsheng? When can I get the Secret Treasure and Secret Technique I asked for?"
Shu Feng currently had experts as numerous as clouds and powerhouses as plentiful as rain under his command. He also had two trump cards: the Half-Saint Level Swamp Dominator and the evolving Blood Dominator, Su Mi. In terms of combat strength, he was no longer inferior to a First-Grade Noble Family or Clan. He no longer needed a marriage alliance to increase his power.
"Follow this Path-finding Bee. It will take you there."
Zhu Binglan waved her hand coldly. A yellow bee appeared and flew along a path toward the depths of the manor.
Shu Feng followed the Path-finding Bee, walking deeper into the manor.
"Miss, Shu Feng is the founder of the Yuanhai Shu Family and a peerless genius who manifested the True Dragon Heaven-Suppressing Phenomenon. His future achievements are limitless. How could you let him leave just like that?"
A faint ripple shimmered, and an old woman in gray robes appeared beside Zhu Binglan, a helpless look on her face.
"That Shu Feng is a block of wood; I don’t like him at all. He’s so young, yet he already has plenty of women. Plus, he’s busy cultivating all day. When would he have time for moonlit walks and enjoying life with me?"
"As for him manifesting the True Dragon Heaven-Suppressing Phenomenon... which of the geniuses who manifested that Phenomenon ever came to a good end?"
"And even if Shu Feng became the second founder of the Qianyuan Republic, so what? I don’t like him, and that’s that. The person I love is Brother Hai! He understands fine wine, beautiful scenery, and art. He knows how to appreciate beauty and enjoy life. He’s the one I love, not Shu Feng!!"
As Zhu Binglan thought of the man she loved, a look of longing appeared in her beautiful eyes.
The old woman in gray robes gave a wry smile, a helpless look flashing in her eyes.
The "Brother Hai" Zhu Binglan spoke of was a profligate young master, an expert in wining, dining, chasing women, and having fun. Zhu Binglan was completely infatuated with him. The old woman in gray saw it all but could do nothing about it.
Shu Feng followed the Path-finding Bee until he arrived at a cluster of pavilions. Seated within one of them was a middle-aged man in white robes—the Zhu Clan’s Patriarch, Zhu Guangsheng.
Shu Feng said, "Greetings, Patriarch Zhu."
Zhu Guangsheng extended a hand. "Patriarch Shu, please."
Shu Feng sat down opposite Zhu Guangsheng.
Zhu Guangsheng smiled faintly. "So? Patriarch Shu, my daughter Binglan is ranked the fifth most beautiful woman in the Qianyuan Republic. She is twenty-five this year, currently at the Great Spirit Master Peak, and only a step away from the Spirit Sect Realm. Are you satisfied with her?"
Shu Feng stated frankly, "Patriarch Zhu, your daughter Zhu Binglan already has someone she loves. I don’t think we are a suitable match."
Zhu Guangsheng said lightly, "If you like Binglan, I can have her lover dealt with."
"I have no feelings for Zhu Binglan either." Shu Feng raised an eyebrow. "Patriarch Zhu, I have already promised that as long as you agree to my two conditions, we can let the past be the past. Why insist on a marriage alliance?"
"Marriage alliances are the way of survival for us Noble Families and Clans. It is the oldest and most effective method. Shu Feng, your growth rate is too astonishing. It makes many of us uneasy. If you don’t integrate with us, then we can only join forces to deal with you."
A handsome, middle-aged man with short hair, wearing a white shirt and jeans, walked across the water, stepping up to Shu Feng.
Zhu Guangsheng bowed to the middle-aged man. "Greetings, Ancestor!"
The middle-aged man smiled faintly. "Shu Feng, I am Zhu Yan of the Zhu Clan! You should have heard my name!"
Shu Feng’s heart jolted in surprise. "Greetings, Half-Saint!"
Zhu Yan of the Zhu Clan was the Semi-Saint Level expert who supported the entire clan. Wielding the famous gun, [Stone Demon], he had once slain two Void Demon Marquises on the Void Demon Battlefield in a single engagement. He was a notoriously ruthless figure in the Qianyuan Republic and one of the experts most likely to advance to the Spirit Saint realm.
"Shu Feng, your strength is astonishing, your evolution speed is even more frighteningly fast, and you’re clear about repaying both kindness and hatred. Our Zhu Clan wishes to be joined with you by marriage, to become family. If you do not agree to the alliance, we can only join forces to destroy you! And when that time comes, it won’t just be our Zhu Clan! Even the Fang Clan and the Ding Clan will move against you."
"Unless you flee the Qianyuan Republic, you will have no way of escaping our hunt."
"I know your Summoning Ability is extremely powerful and you have quite a few trump cards. However, our Zhu Clan was able to become one of the Eight Great Clans of the Qianyuan Republic for a reason; we have our own hidden reserves. If we deploy our full reserves, we could destroy a Spirit Saint. We could also destroy everything you currently possess."
"I am not very optimistic about the upcoming decisive battle with the Void Demon Clan. After all, the Blue Star Human Clan is riddled with internal conflicts, and there are many traitors from the Void Demon Association hidden among us. Most importantly, our Blue Star has no Divine Spirit Level experts."
"If you agree to a marriage alliance with our Zhu Clan, we will do everything in our power to support your advancement to become a Divine Spirit."
"If you don’t like Zhu Binglan, that’s fine too! The Zhu Clan has countless outstanding daughters. There’s bound to be one you like!"
"Friend or foe—the choice is yours to make in this very moment!"
Zhu Yan flicked his finger, and a blue pearl burst forth with an incomparably brilliant Spiritual Light, forming a screen of light in the void.
