Before long, Zhuo Cheng returned to the reception hall, accompanied by the two radiant figures of Qin Lianyi and Mu Feng.

Han Lie, adhering to etiquette, could no longer remain seated and promptly stood up.

Mu Feng exchanged polite, if somewhat distant, greetings with Zhuo Hongyi. Then, he turned to Han Lie, his lips curving into an elegant, practiced smile.

“This Daoist must be the fellow disciple of the Hongyi Fairy from the Heavenly Void Sect?”

“I am Han Lie. Pleased to meet you.”

Han Lie replied with neither humility nor arrogance, cupping his hands in a respectful bow. He then shifted his gaze to the woman standing beside Mu Feng—the dazzling Princess Qin Lianyi.

Their eyes met.

A strange current passed between them, thick with unsaid words. The atmosphere grew noticeably awkward for a split second.

After a moment, Han Lie offered a subtle, knowing smile. “This humble Daoist, Han Lie, greets the Great Qin Dynasty’s Princess Qin Lianyi.”

“Hehe, there is no need for such courtesy, Daoist Lin,” Qin Lianyi replied, her emphasis on the surname ‘Lin’ carrying a playful edge. “My status as a princess of Great Qin holds little meaning for a Daoist like yourself.”

She pretended not to know “Han Lie” at all, maintaining the charade of their first meeting.

Once everyone had exchanged greetings, Zhuo Cheng, playing the nervous host, invited them all to take their seats.

Mu Feng was the first to break the silence. He didn’t waste time on pleasantries.

“Uncle Chengjun,” he began, addressing Zhuo Cheng with a title of respect that sounded oddly detached. “Now that Hongyi has returned, we can discuss the matter of the marriage alliance.”

He paused, his gaze drifting lazily toward Han Lie.

“I heard that Hongyi intends to form a Dao companion bond with this Daoist Lin? Uncle Chengjun, is this true?”

“Uh…”

Zhuo Cheng was taken aback. A bead of sweat formed on his brow as he forced an awkward, polite smile. Zhuo Hongyi had only mentioned this to him late last night in confidence. How did Mu Feng already know? The depth of the Minister of War’s intelligence network was terrifying.

“It is indeed true.”

Zhuo Cheng had no choice but to nod. To deny it now, with Han Lie sitting right there, would be impossible. His heart hammered in his chest. His greatest fear was that Mu Feng would use this “insult” as a convenient excuse to cancel the alliance entirely. If that happened, the Zhuo Family would become the laughingstock of Qin Yang City, their decline sealed in ink and blood.

Having received Zhuo Cheng’s personal confirmation, Mu Feng smiled meaningfully. He turned his attention fully to Zhuo Hongyi.

“Hongyi Fairy, my attitude toward this marriage alliance is open-minded,” he said, smoothing the folds of his immaculate robe. “However, I am rather curious—what exactly did you see in this Daoist Lin?”

His eyes flicked to Han Lie, cold and dissecting.

“In terms of cultivation aptitude, he is only at the mid-stage Golden Core realm at his age. Mediocre at best.”

“As for family background…” Mu Feng chuckled softly. “Daoist Lin, please forgive my bluntness, but what is your family background?”

Mu Feng’s tone was calm, gentle even. But his words were invisible blades, exceptionally sharp and designed to draw blood. This was a public execution of character, meant to humiliate Han Lie thoroughly.

Zhuo Cheng, sitting on the host seat, felt as if he were resting on a bed of nails. Cold sweat soaked through the back of his robes.

In such a delicate situation, Qin Lianyi found it inappropriate to interject. She watched with interest, her eyes flickering between the two men.

Zhuo Hongyi’s face flushed with anger. She was about to slam her hand on the table when Han Lie waved his hand slightly, signaling her to stop.

“Hehe, this humble Daoist comes from a lowly background,” Han Lie said easily, leaning back in his chair. “I naturally cannot compare to someone like Young Master Mu Feng, who possesses such a prominent and illustrious family background.”

Hearing this, Mu Feng raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise.

He had expected the older cultivator to bluster, to boast, to try and save face with empty lies. He didn’t expect such brutal honesty.

It was disappointing, but it made his victory easier.

“Mm, thank you for your candor, Daoist Lin.”

Mu Feng nodded, then turned back to Zhuo Hongyi.

“Hongyi Fairy, I presume you heard that. I simply don’t understand what you see in this man. He has neither power nor potential.”

“I…” Zhuo Hongyi opened her mouth but found herself momentarily at a loss. Logically, she couldn’t refute Mu Feng’s points. Han Lie was older, and he did lack a powerful clan.

Flustered, she changed her approach, her voice rising with emotion.

“Young Master Mu Feng, please do not assume all women in the world are so shallow!”

“What does it matter if one’s cultivation aptitude isn’t particularly outstanding or if one lacks a prominent family background? Liking someone doesn’t require a checklist of reasons.”

She took a breath, her eyes blazing.

“If one only likes someone because their cultivation is unparalleled under heaven, or because they possess an unrivaled background, I believe that cannot be called true love. It is merely affection built upon rigid conditions. If those conditions were lost, she could just as easily turn and love someone else!”

Mu Feng listened patiently, then shook his head with a condescending smile.

“Hongyi Fairy, I quite agree with your sentiment. True love, in poetry and song, perhaps does not involve external factors.”

His expression hardened slightly.

“Unfortunately, your viewpoint does not suit people like us. We are not commoners.”

“Within the Great Qin Dynasty, we emphasize matching social status. If the one you loved were also from a renowned noble family in Qin Yang City—even a lesser one—I would be very happy to step aside and let love take its course.”

Upon hearing this, Han Lie understood clearly.

This Mu Feng wasn’t truly heartbroken or stubborn about the marriage. With his status and talent, countless women in the capital would kill for a chance to warm his bed. If his father wished it, he could easily become a Royal Son-in-Law.

No, what Mu Feng couldn’t accept was the insult.

Zhuo Hongyi was rejecting him—the genius son of the Minister of War—for this? For a middle-aged nobody with mediocre talent and no background? Even visually, if Han Lie and Zhuo Hongyi walked down the street, people might mistake them for father and daughter.

It was this disparity that ignited the competitive fire in Mu Feng’s arrogance.

“As for this marriage alliance, I have no strong feelings either way,” Mu Feng said, glancing as if unintentionally at Zhuo Cheng. “However, Hongyi Fairy, while considering yourself, have you not considered your father or the Zhuo Family?”

He let the words hang in the air, heavy and suffocating.

“Do you know how much effort your father expended, how many favors he called in, before my father finally agreed to this proposal?”

Mu Feng’s words struck like primordial beasts.

Zhuo Hongyi’s face went pale. She felt cornered, pushed to the brink of desperation. She turned her gaze toward her father.

Zhuo Cheng merely let out a soft sigh and lowered his eyes, refusing to meet hers. His silence screamed the truth: The family needs this.

The weight of her clan, her father’s dignity, and the future of thousands of kinsmen pressed down on her shoulders.

“Young Master Mu Feng, may this humble Daoist say a few words?”

Just as Zhuo Hongyi seemed on the verge of collapsing under the pressure, Han Lie spoke up. His voice was calm, cutting through the tension like a knife.

“Oh?” Mu Feng turned, amused. He snapped his paper fan open with a flourish. “Please speak freely, Daoist Lin. I am all ears.”

Han Lie didn’t stand. He sat comfortably, tapping his finger on the armrest. He spoke unhurriedly, methodically, his voice carrying a strange, compelling weight.

“Regarding what you just said, this humble Daoist fully agrees.”

“Born into noble families, matching social status is indeed important.”

Han Lie’s gaze swept over the luxurious hall.

“Within the Great Qin Dynasty, your family background is indeed prominent. Your esteemed father serves as the Minister of War, a pillar of the empire. Perhaps there are opportunities for further advancement—yet, one can already see the ceiling.”

“However…” Han Lie’s eyes narrowed slightly. “In this vast Tianyuan Continent, the Great Qin Dynasty is but a lone leaf boat upon a boundless sea. It is not the towering wave you think it is.”

“This humble Daoist does not mean to belittle Great Qin, but merely states a fact.”

Han Lie leaned forward slightly, the cynical amusement in his eyes sharpening into something dangerous.

“Additionally, you just questioned this humble Daoist’s cultivation aptitude, didn’t you?”