"I heard from the Lin Patriarch that Lin Hua had also entered the celestial city to become a cultivator. Have you met her before?" inquired the Yip Patriarch, immediately capturing Yip Chor's attention. He did not know anything about his betrothed other than her lineage, and suddenly finding out that Lin Hua was a cultivator as well shifted his entire perspective concerning this arrangement. Cultivator-mortal relationships were very rare in this world and were in fact frowned upon. A Cultivator held supreme status in the eyes of mortals... if there was ever to be a pairing, it would be between a cultivator male and a mortal woman as part of a harem arrangement... never as first wife. How desperate was the Lin Patriarch for Yip merchant money that he would pawn his daughter off like this?

The blood drained from Yip Chor's face. What was this farce? What was his grandfather planning? Were they banking on him dying soon before he could consummate the marriage? His thoughts began to spiral into darkness again. He wasn't very good at politics, but he knew something strange was going on.

"Yes, I caught a glimpse of Lin Hua from a distance during the Qilin Battling Games. She is a disciple of the Battling Dragons sect, which hosted the competition. Lin Hua is renowned for her beauty and her status as a powerful core disciple within the sect. She made significant progress in the competition but ultimately lost to Lixin," Yip Jia responded, glancing at her big brother with a concerned look in her eye.

"Lixin defeated her?!" The Yip Patriarch was taken aback, and an awkward silence ensued as the implications sunk in.

"It appears that the Lin Patriarch doesn't have much to boast about. The Yip Family has indeed triumphed over the Lin Family. However, we must handle this situation with grace and humility," commented Yip Bin, a hint of pride in his voice. He looked briefly at Yip Chor, and a guarded look took his face.

"Ah, we are approaching the Lin compound. Everyone, let us behave accordingly," reminded the Yip Patriarch in his deep gravelly voice.

---

The Lin Compound greeted them with its grandeur—manicured gardens and buildings that spoke of generations of success. The Lin Clan, extensive and influential, had branches spread throughout the state of Qilin. Their main clan branch held a seat in the celestial city of Qilin, while Lin Hua, Yip Chor's betrothed, belonged to a minor family branch headed by an infamous patriarch. According to Yip Jia, she had discovered that the Lin family patriarch had only reached the early Treasure Manifestation stage, thus in the Lin Clan, from the perspective of morals and strength, this family branch would be somewhat lacking.

As they entered the courtyard, the main house doors swung open, and a group of servants clad in Lin house livery hurriedly approached them.

The lead butler greeted them with a bow, saying, "Welcome Yip family to the Outlook Pavilion, the Lin family's abode," the butler formally announced as he led the way.

"We gratefully accept your welcome and bring our blessings," responded the Yip Patriarch with a formal reply.

After exchanging pleasantries, they were ushered into a guest house where they were shown to their respective rooms. The butler's parting words were, "Please refresh yourselves and join our lord in the gardens."

Alone in the guesthouse, Yip Bin remarked, "They seem to possess ample wealth; it doesn't appear that they require our gold."

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"Hmm, a merchant's wealth lies in gold, while an aristocrat's wealth rests in their family name. This Lin patriarch has borrowed against his name for years. Creditors are closing in on him, and he needs our gold. This is the consequence of a family in decline. Our best hope is to trade an aristocrat's name for a merchant's gold," explained the Yip Patriarch, recalling how he had cleverly orchestrated the marriage proposal to exploit the Lin patriarch's vulnerability.

The Yip family freshened up and departed from their rooms. As they approached the garden, they couldn't help but feel a sense of tranquillity amidst the lush trees and fragrant blossoms.

Under a pagoda in a serene section of the garden, the Lin patriarch, accompanied by his family and a few friends, lounged on beds, engrossed in games such as Go.

"Ah, Yip Baihu, my old friend! Come, take a seat," warmly greeted the Lin Patriarch, introducing them to the others present. The patriarch himself appeared youthful, a handsome man in his fifties by appearance, owing to his cultivation. In reality, he would be in his nineties. His family members also exuded an air of beauty and refinement—his wife, his son and his family, and his daughter and her family.

"And this is my youngest granddaughter, Lin Hua," the Lin Patriarch introduced.

---

From the moment Yip Chor stepped foot into the garden, his heart began pounding like stampeding horses. His gaze immediately fixed upon a young, graceful girl dressed in white, with piercing blue eyes as cold as ice. She stared directly into his soul, enchanting him. She was the most exquisite being he had ever encountered. When the patriarch introduced her as Lin Hua, his heart skipped a beat, and he almost stumbled, his face draining of colour. It was clear to him that this girl was far beyond his reach—far beyond anything he had ever imagined. Again, fear overwhelmed any sense of attraction he might have initially felt.

"And this is Yip Chor, my grandson," the Lin Patriarch continued, unaware of Chor's trance-like panicked state. The awkward pause broke when Yip Chor's sister discreetly pinched him, jolting him back to reality.

"Greetings, Patriarch. May a thousand blessings be upon you and your esteemed family," Yip Chor finally composed himself and reverently bowed to the patriarch, a faint blush tinging his cheeks as his earlier entranced state was exposed.

"Ah, you have returned to us. It seems my granddaughter's beauty has captivated you, as it has many others. But I have never witnessed a man lose so much blood from his face as you have. I wonder where it all went?" The Lin Patriarch, in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere, teased, causing the other guests and Lin family members to suppress their laughter.

Yip Chor bowed again and apologized for his distraction.

"Why are you apologizing, young man? Even if your blood has rushed elsewhere, it is a good thing, as this union will require heirs," the Lin Patriarch commented with a thoughtful expression, eliciting another round of chuckles from the guests.

Yip Chor bowed once more and expressed his gratitude for the patriarch's kind words. Though still slightly flustered, he regained his composure, realizing that he needed to make a favourable impression in front of the people he sought to impress.

A silence filled the air as the Lin Patriarch seemed to be considering something.

"Yip Baihu, to be frank, it appears that this branch of yours lacks in cultivation, constitution, and courage. Where are your other branches? I have heard of their considerable success in Qilin," the Lin Patriarch remarked, openly addressing Yip Chor's perceived shortcomings.

A flush of heat rushed to Yip Chor's face as he felt a wave of shame wash over him. To be publicly shamed in front of a group he was eager to impress, his deepest fears voiced by another caught him off guard. A few guests seemed to perk up at the tension, all of this a wonderful visual spectacle to accompany their tea.

"Patriarch Lin, my firstborn grandson is the representative branch we agreed upon," Yip Baihu responded, attempting to defend his family's position.

"Ah, but your firstborn grandson seems to be lacking, doesn't he? When we made our arrangement, I assumed you were presenting your best. Were you holding out on me, Yip?" the Lin Patriarch probed, his tone laced with a mix of curiosity and slight disappointment.

At that moment, a maid approached the Lin Patriarch, whispering something in his ear. A smile crept across his face.

"It seems your other branches have arrived."