Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 8 Proposing Marriage

"Hmm?"

Wang Yu Yan paused her movements abruptly, her lovely eyes locking onto her younger sister with a look of pure bewilderment.

Observing her sister's reaction, Wang Yuqi swelled with pride and stated with an air of arrogance, "Brother Zhi Qin informed me yesterday. Since we are forced to halt the perfume trade, he decided to round up our earnings as a form of restitution for both of us."

Shaking her head, Wang Yu Yan replied, "I have no desire for his compensation! Besides, I still intended to finalize a few more transactions."

Wang Yuqi’s expression shifted violently. In a mixture of alarm and irritation, she cried out, "Have you lost your senses? Brother Zhi Qin warned us that our prosperity has already been noticed. Continuing now would be risking our very lives."

"Brother Zhi Qin this, Brother Zhi Qin that! You cannot utter three sentences without mentioning him. Why don't you just go and marry him then?"

Wang Yuqi’s face flushed deep red at the remark. She stomped her foot in frustration and retorted with a bashful pout, "Hmph, you are simply blinded by greed! I am finished talking to you!"

Just then, Zhao Sheng entered the room from outside. Overhearing the final exchange, he couldn't suppress a chuckle. "What are the two of you arguing about now?"

As he spoke, he set the food container he was carrying onto the table with a casual motion.

"Brother Zhi Qin, what sort of delicacies have you prepared for us this time?"

The moment she saw Zhao Sheng, Wang Yuqi rushed toward him with joy, her curiosity piqued as she began to pry open the food box.

"This particular dish required quite a bit of labor. I've named it 'cake.' Give it a taste; isn't it wonderful?"

Zhao Sheng reached into the container, retrieved a slice of soft, pale-yellow cake, and held it up to Wang Yuqi’s lips.

Faced with the treat, Wang Yuqi offered no resistance. Her expression was one of total adoration and affection as she obediently parted her lips to take a bite.

"Oh, it is absolutely divine! Sister Yu Yan, you must try some as well."

In contrast to her sister's exuberant delight, Wang Yu Yan maintained a composed demeanor.

With elegant movements, she took a piece of the cake from the box and began to sample it.

While chewing, Wang Yuqi suddenly decided to tattle to Zhao Sheng. "Brother Zhi Qin, Sister Yu Yan refuses to give up. She actually wants to return to the workshop."

Zhao Sheng’s expression sharpened slightly upon hearing the news.

He shifted his gaze toward Wang Yu Yan and questioned her sternly, "Is what she says the truth? Are you not aware of how perilous that would be?"

"I... I only wished to secure a bit more profit," Wang Yu Yan admitted. Though her face showed her reluctance to yield, her voice grew increasingly faint under his scrutiny.

Truly blinded by greed!

Observing the situation, Zhao Sheng shook his head with a helpless sigh. "Even if that is your wish, we cannot proceed. If my suspicions are correct, Fragrant Swallow Valley has already detected our activities."

"This is disastrous!"

"Oh no!"

The sisters cried out in unison, their faces filled with shock and sudden panic.

They did not doubt Zhao Sheng’s assessment for a single moment.

After spending several months together, the image of Zhao Sheng as a man of profound strategy and insight was firmly etched into their minds.

Seeing the sisters in such a state of alarm, Zhao Sheng let out a peculiar smile.

With a calmness that felt almost unnatural, he said, "Do not be frightened! This is actually a positive development. In truth, I was already planning a visit to Fragrant Swallow Valley."

Wang Yuqi was seized by terror, the color draining from her face as she pleaded, "Brother Zhi Qin, you cannot go to my home! My grandfather is a fierce man. Be careful, for he might strike you down in a rage. You must flee quickly!"

Zhao Sheng listened to her plea and responded with a steady voice, "Why should I run? Have I committed some crime?"

Upon hearing his words, the Wang sisters had a moment of realization. "That's right, we haven't actually done anything wrong. We merely kept the perfume business a secret and happened to earn a few Spirit Stone profits along the way."

Once they had calmed down, a playful, mischievous grin suddenly appeared on Zhao Sheng's face. "Furthermore, if I do not travel to Fragrant Swallow Valley, how could I possibly... propose marriage to the Wang Family?"

This shocking declaration left both Wang Yu Yan and Wang Yuqi standing as still as statues.

After a long silence, Wang Yuqi finally found the nerve to ask, her face brimming with hope, "Brother Zhi Qin, are you... are you truly saying you intend to... propose?"

Zhao Sheng looked over the two sisters before his eyes settled firmly on Wang Yuqi. In a low, resonant voice, he said, "Yuqi, I wish to make you my wife. Will you accept me?"

"You... you! I'm not speaking to you anymore!"

Cutting herself off mid-sentence, Wang Yuqi bolted from the room, her face burning with bashfulness.

Only two remained in the chamber. At that moment, Wang Yu Yan was uncharacteristically silent. She kept her head lowered, though her eyes could not hide the traces of sorrow and loss within them.

Watching her, Zhao Sheng let out a silent sigh.

If the opportunity existed, he would have taken both sisters as his wives.

Unfortunately, Wang Yu Yan possessed a Spirit Root, making it impossible for her to wed a mere mortal.

...

Two days later, a carriage came to a halt at the entrance of Fragrant Swallow Valley. The driver, Wang Si, silently drew back the curtain to allow Zhao Sheng and the Wang sisters to exit.

He had been a witness to everything, watching firsthand as a mortal man effortlessly won the heart of the young miss in just a few short months.

Regarding Zhao Sheng, Wang Si had little to say other than to express his profound respect!

Stepping down from the carriage, Wang Yu Yan passed Zhao Sheng a Storage Talisman packed with five hundred Spirit Stones.

These Spirit Stones were the betrothal gifts prepared by Zhao Sheng. The additional one hundred and sixty stones within represented the personal contribution of the younger sister, Wang Yuqi.

Wang Yu Yan produced a bronze medallion and funneled a strand of Spiritual Power into the object.

A radiant beam erupted from the bronze token, cutting through the thick mist and revealing a narrow passage within.

Following the path for dozens of paces, Zhao Sheng stepped into the clear. Before him lay a secluded valley, covering an area of roughly several hundred acres.

The group walked toward a region lush with verdant trees and aromatic grass. In the distance, meticulously tended spirit fields were scattered like stars across the landscape, while seven or eight wooden towers and courtyards peeked through the shade of the trees.

Zhao Sheng, however, had no time to appreciate the scenery. Just a few steps ahead stood a group of grim-faced middle-aged and elderly individuals, all of whom were glaring at him with intensity.

"Father, Uncle, Third Uncle..."

Wang Yuqi grew frantic upon seeing them, her anxiety peaking when her eyes landed on the square-faced man standing in the center.

Wang Yu Yan, by contrast, maintained a strange level of composure as she paid her respects to each elder in turn.

The square-faced man was Wang Yigong, the father of the two sisters.

Half a month prior, he had received a Thousand-mile Talisman from the family. The contents had sent him into a rage, causing him to abandon his affairs and rush back to Fragrant Swallow Valley immediately.

To him, nothing was more critical than the threat of someone stealing away his precious daughters!

Wang Yigong shot a glance at Zhao Sheng and let out a disdainful snort.

His expression was incredibly dark as he gestured to his daughters with a flick of his wrist. "Follow me!" he commanded coldly.

Without acknowledging Zhao Sheng, he turned and marched toward the Wang Family Hall.

The sisters followed obediently, and the rest of the gathered kin also turned to depart.

Zhao Sheng gave a bitter, silent laugh before quietly trailing behind them.

They traveled for about three or four miles, passing through a pair of groves before reaching a grand and imposing hall.

The structure was built entirely from massive blocks of blue steel stone, a material of immense durability. The hall spanned nearly an acre; though it was only one story tall, the walls were massive, and the roof reached the height of the nearby three-story wooden buildings.

Wang Yigong and the other members of the clan ascended the stone steps and entered the hall.

Just as Zhao Sheng attempted to cross the threshold, a thick, muscular arm suddenly barred his path.