Volume 8, Chapter 533 – Carving Her Name Upon the Immortal Stele

Inside the bridal sedan, Hua Yu was so furious she nearly spat blood. Casting aside all notions of propriety and shame, she stormed out and confronted her groom:

“What? What did you just say? Say it again!”

Cao Yang frowned slightly, but for the sake of the bigger picture, he softened his tone and coaxed, “My dear, don’t be upset. You are the only bride I’m marrying. She’ll just be your maidservant, at most, a concubine in the Cao household.”

“A concubine?”

Hua Yu let out a bitter laugh, her voice trembling with rage. “What happened to your promise? ‘One heart, one life, only us’, wasn’t that what you swore? And now? I haven’t even stepped through the Cao family’s gates, and you’re already talking about taking a concubine?”

“This…”

Cao Yang faltered, caught in an awkward position. He wanted to lash out, but he couldn’t bear to give up a “breeding tool” with nine point bloodline purity.

“Tsk tsk, wanting it all? If you don’t have the ability, don’t boast. You can’t even handle one. Be careful, or you’ll end up with nothing.”

Qi Huang sneered, her words dripping with mockery.

“That’s right, Hua Yu. Weren’t you the one who kept going on about how deeply Cao Yang loved you? And now? The moment he sees a pretty girl, he’s already thinking of taking her in. How touching.”

Shi Yuqi piled on, twisting the knife further.

“Niece-in-law, don’t be hasty. Cao Yang is only considering this for the sake of the Holy Maiden title. If they refuse to reinstate you, then this is the only alternative.”

Seeing the situation spiraling, Yan Ping hurriedly stepped in to defend his nephew.

“Exactly! With her, the Huarong Sect will continue to supply the Cao family. In the end, you’ll still be the one who benefits.”

Cao Yang seized the opportunity to whisper into Hua Yu’s ear, though given that most present were cultivators, his words were heard loud and clear.

“I don’t need it! If you insist on this today, then let her go back with you and perform the wedding rites. I won’t be part of it!”

Hua Yu’s stance was unyielding. She already sensed the threat, if Cheng Hongling entered the Cao household, who could say whether she’d remain the wife and not the concubine?

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“How shameless!”

Shi Yuqi gritted her teeth in disgust.

“Don’t worry, disciple. After all, we’ve shared a master-disciple bond. This master will ensure your wish for ‘one heart, one life’ is fulfilled. Today, he won’t be taking anyone but you.”

Hua Ruyi spoke calmly, her tone unwavering.

“A mere peak Divine Realm cultivator dares to spout such arrogance?”

Cao Yang’s face twisted with disdain.

“You’re welcome to try.”

Hua Ruyi’s laughter was cold.

“Hua Ruyi, you’ve forgotten the pain once the wound healed! The only reason your Huarong Sect still survives is because our Cao family showed mercy for Hua Yu’s sake. Push me too far, and I’ll show you the true power of a Monarch-grade Immortal Stele!”

Cao Yang’s voice was laced with venom.

“Indeed. The next time the Immortal’s Might descends, it will mark the Huarong Sect’s destruction. That’s why both your Holy Maidens must return with us today.”

Yan Ping added his threat, completely disregarding Hua Yu’s feelings.

“Then let’s see who’s faster, whether the Immortal’s Might arrives first, or the Huarong Sect annihilates your few hundred men.”

Hua Ruyi narrowed her phoenix-like eyes, her gaze sharp as needles.

Cao Yang didn’t retort. He knew she wasn’t bluffing. If the Huarong Sect mobilized in full force, his few hundred men would be wiped out in an instant, without even a ripple left behind.

The two sides reached a stalemate, the tension thickening as time crawled by.

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“Quit standing around like fools. Get lost already. If you keep dragging this out, you might not even take Hua Yu with you.”

Qi Huang’s impatience was palpable. With several swords still hanging over her and her main body’s head, she had no time to waste on these clowns.

“Indeed, as sect leader, I made it clear that the only reason I agreed to Hua Yu’s marriage was because of her feelings for you, not because of coercion. If you overreach, you’ll leave with nothing today.”

Hua Ruyi’s declaration was firm.

Yan Ping’s eyes darted shrewdly before he leaned toward Cao Yang. “Nephew, as the saying goes, ‘A wise man knows when to retreat.’ Let’s regroup and plan our next move.”

“What move?”

Cao Yang scowled.

“A word in private!”

Yan Ping glanced around conspiratorially.

Though annoyed, Cao Yang couldn’t refuse his uncle. He followed.

Hua Yu watched their retreating figures, her expression wary. Even a fool could see her fiancé hadn’t given up.

Fury boiled within her, and she rounded on Cheng Hongling. “You really are a vixen! First, you stole my Holy Maiden title, and now you’re after my man!”

“You’re the shameless one! You lost your title because you broke sect rules, what does that have to do with us?”

Cheng Hongling fired back without hesitation.

“Indeed. Even without her, I wouldn’t have let you remain as Holy Maiden.”

Hua Ruyi’s confirmation was icy.

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“And as for stealing men? That’s pure fantasy. I have zero interest in that Cao fool. You can keep your self-important clown all to yourself.”

Cheng Hongling’s disdain was palpable.

Hua Yu trembled with rage, but outnumbered, she lacked the nerve to argue further.

Meanwhile, Qi Huang wasn’t about to let anyone plot against her. She immediately pulled out a Shadow-Retaining Mirror to spy on Cao Yang and his uncle. With no one nearby and her main body’s divine sense shielding her, she wasn’t worried about being detected.

By now, Cao Yang and Yan Ping had reached a secluded spot.

“Well? What’s this grand plan of yours?” Cao Yang asked impatiently.

Yan Ping erected a divine sense barrier and crushed a Sound-Blocking Talisman before whispering, “Nephew, have you forgotten? The Cao family possesses the strongest Immortal Stele in the cultivation world. So what if she refuses? Just carve her name into it first, then set an auspicious date. Once it’s done, she’ll have no choice but to come to you.”

Cao Yang’s eyes lit up. He smacked his forehead. “Right! How could I forget? Lü Yi got most of his concubines that way. For the greater good, it seems I’ll have to follow his example. Her name is Jiang Ling, right?”

“Yes, Jiang Ling. ‘Jiang’ as in ginger, ‘Ling’ as in bell.”

Yan Ping nodded emphatically.

Yes, yes, of course!

Qi Huang nearly laughed aloud at the absurdity.

“Jiang Ling… Jiang Ling! If you hadn’t revealed your face today, I might’ve let you go. But now? You’ll have no choice but to become my concubine. Serves you right for walking into this trap!”

Cao Yang’s triumphant laughter echoed.

“But before that, you’d better smooth things over with Hua Yu. Her nine point bloodline is far more valuable than the Huarong Sect’s Holy Maiden title. We can’t sacrifice the essential for the trivial.”

Yan Ping reminded him.

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“Understood. Thank you, Uncle.”

After a brief pause, Cao Yang acquiesced.

“No need for thanks between family. Just remember, everything I do is for your sake.”

Yan Ping seized the chance to paint himself in a noble light.

Qi Huang retracted the mirror with a scoff. ‘How naïve. Did they really think I’d fall into the same trap twice?’

“Did Cao Yang just say he’d carve my name onto his family’s Immortal Stele? Truly birds of a feather with that Lü scum.”

Cheng Hongling’s voice transmitted directly into her mind.

“Let him carve whatever he wants. A hundred times, if he likes. Your name is Cheng Hongling, not Jiang Ling.”

Qi Huang suppressed a laugh. Her boldness stemmed from the fact that they had no clue about her and her main body’s true identities.

“Should we inform the Huarong Sect’s elders?”

Cheng Hongling asked.

“No need. It’ll only cause panic and risk exposing our disguises.”

After a brief consideration, Qi Huang shook her head.

“True.”

Cheng Hongling nodded, then her eyes sparkled with realization. “Wait, what if we revealed our real identities now? If Cao Yang carves my name onto that Monarch-grade Immortal Stele and activates its power, wouldn’t the backlash hit the Lü family instead? Just like what happened at Shuiyu Valley! Wouldn’t that be diverting disaster onto the enemy?”