Miao Xue Divine Palace.
"Qingxuan Master's personal arrival truly brings glory to our Divine Palace, but Qingxuan Master didn't notify us earlier, which made us somewhat neglectful in receiving you."
In the main hall of the Divine Palace, the Great Palace Master and the Second Palace Master sat at the head. To the left, a young man dressed in casual attire was seated. He had a face like jade and sharp sword eyebrows above bright starry eyes. A perpetual spring-like smile hung on his face, and he always carried an air of serene composure.
"Great Palace Master, Second Palace Master, I feared I would be a disturbance by coming without informing you in advance. My father also asked me to convey his regards to you both," said the young man with a cupped-hand salute, his voice remarkably soothing.
"The Master is too modest. That the Qingxuan Sect Master still remembers the two of us sisters is indeed our good fortune," Miao Shuang smiled and nodded. Qingxuan spoke up, "Second Palace Master, you are too kind. The very reason I came out ahead is something that I believe everyone is clear about. It's not just me coming out this time; other Evil Demonic Daoists are also covetously eyeing that 'Secret Treasure.' Hence, my father sent me ahead to discuss matters with the two Palace Masters, so that we could together fend off those Evil Demonic Daoists when the time comes."
"What the Master said is exactly right. This time, we should simply completely eliminate all those Evil Demonic Daoists," said the Great Palace Master slowly.
"Besides this affair, there is another matter. Didn't the two Palace Masters mention that there's a disciple with a Nine Yin Body in your Palace?" Qingxuan's lips lifted into a shallow smile.
Da Miaoxue slightly narrowed her eyes, a few glimmers of light flickering through, "So, Qingxuan Master is here for this matter. I originally planned to bring my disciple to the Qingxuan Sect after another year, but I didn't expect the Master to be in such a hurry."
"It's not that I'm in a rush, but since I'm out, I also wanted to meet her by the way," Qingxuan Master replied with a cupped-hand salute.
"Miao Zhu, go call Miao Xin over here," instructed the Second Palace Master.
"Yes, Master."
After speaking, Miao Zhu immediately left the reception hall and found Miao Xin in her room.
"Sister, Master is calling you to the reception hall," Miao Zhu spoke.
Miao Xin ended her cultivation practice, her cool face betraying a hint of confusion, "Why is Master calling me over now?"
Miao Zhu's face showed a taunting expression, "There's a handsome young Master visiting from the palace gates. Listening to the Great Palace Master and Second Palace Master, it seems they wish... they wish to play matchmaker between you two."
Upon hearing Miao Zhu's words, Miao Xin's face suddenly changed, her willow leaf eyebrows knitting together in disbelief, "Impossible, our Miao Xue Divine Palace has never had men, and how could they suddenly arrange for me..."
"I don't know either, but the Great Palace Master and Second Palace Master are waiting for you, so you should go quickly," Miao Zhu was also somewhat perplexed, but she didn't understand what was happening either.
Biting her silver teeth and hesitating for a moment, Miao Xin went to the reception hall with Miao Zhu.
"I greet the Great Master and Second Master," Miao Xin said respectfully, standing in the center of the reception hall.
"Miao Xin, please sit down," Miao Xue spoke, then her gaze fell on Qingxuan, suffused with a smile, "Miao Xin, this is the Qingxuan Sect's Young Sect Master, Qingxuan Master, a talented and accomplished young man who has already reached the Late-stage Foundation Establishment Realm at such a young age."
Qingxuan, with a smile on his face and a sharpness in his eyes, nodded toward Miao Xin, "Miss Miao Xin, I apologize for the intrusion."
"Greetings, Qingxuan Master," Miao Xin nodded, her heart pounding, uncertain of the reason her two masters had summoned her.
The Second Palace Master sighed inwardly, a trace of desolation flickering in her eyes, "Miao Xin, there's something we haven't told you, the Qingxuan Sect and our Miao Xue Divine Palace have agreed on an alliance through marriage. We plan to marry you to the Qingxuan Master. Given his status, it can be said that it's a match of equal social and intellectual standing."
On the way there, Miao Xin's heart had been filled with trepidation, as if she had already guessed these words, but now hearing them spoken directly by her second master made her mind go blank, and her fair, attractive face turned pale while her pale, delicate hands clenched slightly.
"What's wrong, do you seem somewhat unwilling?" Miao Xue's gaze sharpened, and her dark eyebrows furrowed.
With her pearly teeth lightly biting her lustrous lower lip, Miao Xin's pupils revealed an extremely complicated expression, "Great Master, I... I didn't intend to leave the Miao Xue Divine Palace."
"How dare you! After all the years your second master and I have spent cultivating you, though you are our disciple, we have also treated you as our own daughter. The Qingxuan Master is so talented, and he's the successor of the Great Sect Master. Are you saying he isn't good enough for you?" Miao Xue's voice held a hint of chill as she stared directly at Miao Xin.
"Great Master, that's not what I mean," Miao Xin's clear eyes filled with a mist, "In life, I am a person of the Miao Xue Divine Palace, and in death, I will be its ghost. Everything is up to my masters' decision."
"Good, since you agree, from today you are the fiancée of the Qingxuan Master," Miao Xue declared.
Hearing her Great Master's words, Miao Xin's mind involuntarily pictured a face that was somewhat handsome and sunny, and her heart felt as if it were being squeezed, causing her pain so intense she almost forgot to breathe.
A smile appeared on Qing Xuan's face, "Miss Miao Xin, my arrival is indeed abrupt, I hope you will forgive my impudence."
"Alright, Miao Xin, you go back and rest for now, get ready, and soon you will leave the Miao Xue Divine Palace with the Qingxuan Master. When the time comes, we'll hold the wedding ceremony," Miao Xue waved her hand and spoke.
"Yes, Master."
Miao Xin sighed and lowered her eyes. She stood up and slowly left the conference hall, not quite sure how she got out. But instead of returning to her room afterward, she headed towards the Medicine Garden and took out the small silver ring, holding it within her pristine palm. Perhaps she and he were only destined for a brief encounter, or perhaps they would never meet again in this lifetime.
As for her masters' decision, she felt powerless to oppose it.
"Aunt Mei." Miao Xin saw a figure in the Medicine Shop, securely put away the ring, and quickly approached.
"Girl, why are your eyes so red? Did something happen?" Su Mei put down her work and frowned as she asked.
Miao Xin got along best with Su Mei in the sect, and for some reason, she always felt an extraordinarily close bond with her, so she told Su Mei about her situation.
"The Great Palace Master and the Second Palace Master want to marry you off to the Young Sect Master of the Qingxuan Sect?" Su Mei's face showed surprise.
Miao Xin sat on the wooden bridge, swinging her legs, and suddenly chuckled, "Aunt Mei, you seem more nervous than I am. Anyway, I must not disobey the orders of my two masters, whatever they say goes."
"But do you truly have feelings for him in your heart?" Su Mei asked with a frown.
Miao Xin shook her head, "I don't know."
In the guest hall, the Qingxuan Master took out a Space Ring after seeing Miao Xin leave, "Great Palace Master, this is the engagement gift prepared by my father: three Top-grade Spirit Stones, five hundred Middle Grade Spirit Stones, and various medicinal materials. I hope the Great Palace Master won't find it too modest."