Liu Zhu and Zhu Chao stood across from each other. Zhu Chao stared blankly forward, while Liu Zhu stared at the ground, frustrated. After an awkwardly long time standing like this Liu Zhu let out a long sigh and faced towards Zhu Chao once more. "Give me the details then." Zhu Chao nodded and started speaking. "As I said, this makes it very likely that Liu Xuan will become the second patriarch. There is some time before the decision is made though. By my estimate... at the minimum a year, but it should be around two. That's how long it should take the Ji family's succession race to play out. If Liu Xuan's fiancée wins their succession race, there will be no choice but to make Liu Xuan the second patriarch and so that we can take advantage of his connections in the Ji family. If she loses the situation will still be bad for you, but we won't be forced into a decision immediately. In the best case scenario, we could wait until you're 20 and we're forced to make a decision."

Liu Zhu let out another sigh after Zhu Chao stopped speaking. "So I need to do something to change the situation before then?" Zhu Chao simply nodded. Liu Zhu scratched his had as he took a seat, trying to think of something. Zhu Chao patiently waited nearby, glancing at a book he'd been carrying. After a couple minutes Liu Zhu resumed speaking. "Should I get a fiancée then?" Zhu Chao couldn't help but laugh after hearing this, his stern, all-knowing facade breaking slightly. He returned to normal after a few moments, but still had a wry smile on his face when he answered Liu Zhu's question. "Who do you have in mind? Do you happen to have some relationship with a major family I've never heard about? You're... not exactly a ladies' man like your brother, if you catch my drift.  You're too young anyways- wait a few years before you consider getting married for political reasons, although ideally you'll never have to do so. I can say from personal experience that it's not fun."

Liu Zhu took the advice to heart, and threw away the idea since it was only a passing thought. "So I suppose the only option left is to raise my cultivation quickly enough to make my brother's connection with the Ji family irrelevant before their succession race ends?" Zhu Chao paused a moment before shrugging. "More or less." Liu Zhu chuckled to himself and stood back up. "Well, this hasn't changed anything then- I just need to surpass my brother, it's just that I have a time limit now. Before that though... I guess I'll congratulate my brother on his engagement. Where is he? Or is he sleeping?"

Zhu Chao answered the question as he prepared to leave. "He's currently in Blue Mount City. For the past few weeks he's been staying there with his fiancée." Liu Zhu groaned internally as he heard this. He unpacked his things only to immediately learn he needed to travel somewhere else? How unlucky could he be? He was even tempted to wait until his brother returned to Vermilion City, but he had to be courteous and take care of everything properly. If he decided to ignore the matter completely then he'd end up slapping his own face.  "Alright then, I'll set out in the afternoon. I don't need anyone to accompany me, the roads are heavily populated on the way there." Zhu Chao left without saying anything, apparently having no objections to this.

Liu Zhu repacked his supplies and killed time by training for a bit before setting off on his horse. He traveled the roads at a fast pace, covering a large portion of the distance between Vermilion City and Blue Mount City before night fell. Liu Zhu kept this pace his entire trip, and managed to reach the Ji family's estate after two days.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

The Ji's family's estate was slightly larger than both the Yu Clan's and the Liu Clan's estates. From the outside it was clear that several large buildings were scattered about, and there were obviously even more past the walls that couldn't be seen from the outside. Just from looking at it, it was evident that they were wealthier than the Liu Clan. 

As Liu Zhu approached the gate to the estate, he was stopped by a guard whose cultivation he couldn't sense. "Halt! Please state your identity and purpose." Liu Zhu brought his horse to a stop and answered the guard. "I'm Liu Zhu, younger brother of Liu Xuan. I'm here to congratulate my brother on his engagement and visit his fiancée, Ji Quxin." The man nodded before waving Liu Zhu past. It's likely that he would've been more cautious in a different situation, but given Liu Zhu's cultivation, as long as he was under supervision it'd be impossible for him to cause any trouble.

Another guard opened the gate as Liu Zhu neared, leading him into a large building to the side of the main mansion. Immediately after entering the building Liu Zhu saw his brother drinking wine from a tall glass and eating candied fruits, laughing at some book.

After the door opened Liu Xuan caught sight of Liu Zhu and waved the guard away. He haphazardly threw the book he was reading to the side before wandering over. "Good to see you! How was your time at, er, the Yu Clan?" "Good, good, I made lots of progress with the guandao. More importantly, congratulations on your engagement! I heard you got engaged to Ji Quxin?" Liu Xuan laughed slightly lecherously as he tapped his younger brother on the shoulder. "Yes, and that was a great stroke of luck! She's a beautiful woman, and we seem like kindred souls! She has a beautiful sister, if you're interested..." Liu Zhu immediately declined the offer, slightly disappointing Liu Xuan. It's not that he had anything against the Ji family, but if he married someone that was directly below his brother's fiancée, then that'd be like yelling out that he didn't want to be the clan's second patriarch from the top of Mount Tai. Wouldn't that just be a joke?

Liu Xuan convinced his brother to sit and talk before quickly shifting the conversation to other topics. As they spoke Liu Zhu stalwartly refused his repeated offers to drink together sometime, knowing that accepting would only encourage him to drink even more than he usually did. Their small talk continued for a while before Liu Zhu got up to leave. "It's been nice speaking to you, but I should go into the city. I didn't have time to prepare a gift for sister-in-law before setting out, so I want to buy something before I run into her." As Liu Zhu stood up his older brother followed, only a step behind him. "Alright then, I'll come along! I've been here for a bit, so I can show you around, huh? Obviously I'd know the shops here well, right?" Liu Zhu sighed, pushing his older brother away. "I'll hang out with you, but I'd rather go alone. You know the shops, but you also know the bars, right? If we go together I know you're going to try to make me drink with you." Liu Xuan nervously laughed after this remark, a guilty smile on his face. "Alright, alright, you go then. Make sure to be back by dinner though, I'll introduce the two of you."

Liu Xuan stated that he'd be back in time and went to grab his horse, trying to brainstorm ideas for what sort of gift to buy once he arrived in the city.