: Three Paths! A Foundation Establishment cultivator comes to annul the engagement!

The courtyard was completely silent.

Everyone looked down at their respective Ascension Seals.

"Seventh Rank Lower... Done! Hahaha—"

"Eighth Rank, Lower Grade? How is that possible!"

"Seventh Rank! With the blessing of the immortals, I can break through three levels within ten days and enter the upper seventh rank!"

Some were overjoyed, some were speechless, and some collapsed to the ground.

Once a person's rank is determined, their fate on the path to immortality will diverge.

"Done! I've reached the seventh rank. What about you?"

Ye Xiu let out a long breath, his eyes shining.

He was already planning to use the Gathering Essence Pills and demon beast meat his family had prepared to break through the third level within ten days and advance another level.

They will definitely be able to stay in the Immortal Hall.

"Seventh rank! I'm a seventh rank too!"

Qin Yue's voice trembled as he glanced at Ye Xiu, then raised his voice even higher.

His usually hunched back suddenly straightened.

Shen He waved the Ascension Seal in his hand: "Seventh Rank."

She peeked curiously at Lu Yun.

Several people from different backgrounds, yet their ranks were remarkably similar.

Lu Yun looked down at his Ascension Seal.

Rank 8, Upper

He had expected to feel disappointed, but at this moment he felt surprisingly calm.

"It's come to this after all."

A few days ago, Uncle Shen called him into the room and handed him a dusty storage bag.

It contained my father's belongings, not many items.

The spirit stones were just enough for his travel expenses to the Hundred Refinements Immortal Workshop.

There was also a thin booklet recording my father's experiences traveling to and from the Taoist and holy paths.

They may wander among immortals or seek refuge with the holy path.

With these two options, he had already anticipated the outcome of the assessment.

However, being at the eighth rank is much better than Lu Yun's worst-case scenario.

Moreover, just one level apart, a third path was derived.

Within ten days, he broke through the third level of Qi Refining, advanced another level, and entered the lower seventh rank.

But he had only broken through to the second level two months ago.

To break through the third level in a short time, one would need to spend at least fifty spirit stones to buy pills.

One spirit stone can be exchanged for ten spirit crystals, a thousand taels of gold, or a hundred catties of spirit rice.

In five years of cultivation, Lu Yun had only eaten 500 catties of spiritual rice and taken one Qi-cultivating pill.

With so many spirit stones, even a steady stream of them would be enough to cultivate to the fourth or fifth level of Qi Refining.

It's like building a house.

If the normal construction period is one year, but it has to be completed in three days, the cost will definitely increase several times over.

Even in the late stage of Qi Refining, it's difficult to produce that many, so there are still only two paths.

"I am of the eighth rank." Shen Yue's voice was so low that it was almost inaudible.

"I am an eighth-rank official."

As soon as Lu Yun finished speaking, the voices of the four people around him stopped abruptly.

They all thought Lu Yun had it in the bag.

Shen He snatched the Immortal Ascension Seal from him, glanced at it, and the color drained from her face.

"How could this be...?"

Her voice trembled, "Brother Yun, you've always been among the top students in the cultivation hall..."

Ye Xiu also spoke urgently and reassuringly, "Brother Lu, with your talent—"

"With all the guidance Brother Lu gave me before, how could I have mastered the techniques so well?"

Qin Yue's voice was hoarse, "Did the Immortal Academy make a mistake in its evaluation?"

He couldn't help but look in the direction where the immortal master had left.

Lu Yun quickly covered his mouth: "The Immortal Academy's assessment will not be wrong."

Qin Yue stared wide-eyed, his mouth covered, and he made two muffled noises.

Lu Yuncai released his grip.

Only family members know their own affairs.

To be born into a sage path and still achieve an eighth-rank rank is quite good.

He looked around.

The instructors are counting the number of students: fifty-eight, fifteen of whom have entered the seventh rank.

Among the disciples of equal cultivation level and spiritual root, those selected were mostly from the surnames Shen, Ye, and Feng.

Unless a rogue cultivator or a farmer's son has exceptional talent and cultivation, they simply cannot be selected.

Then I thought of the saying, "Cultivating immortality doesn't ask about one's origins."

Lu Yun scoffed.

In the center of the courtyard, Feng Zhuo was surrounded by a group of people.

The head of the Feng family married more than thirty concubines and worked tirelessly day and night to produce such a fine son.

You can't have it by envying it.

At the very edge, a girl stood alone, with no one around her within five meters.

Ninth rank.

She had her head down, so her expression was not visible.

This rank implies that someone in her father's or grandfather's lineage may have committed an unforgivable mistake.

"Fortunately, no villain jumped out to slap me in the face."

Lu Yun gave a self-deprecating laugh and looked away.

"The preliminary evaluation is over, let's go." He put the Immortal Ascension Seal into his sleeve.

"A farewell banquet will be held at Zixin Tower in a few days."

After leaving the meditation hall, he cupped his hands in greeting to Ye Xiu and Qin Yue.

The sunlight stretched the shadows of those departing in different directions into long streaks.

Shen He and Shen Yue followed silently behind him.

Lu Yun walked in front, while Shen He kicked pebbles behind him.

"Brother Yun."

"Um."

"You...are you really an eighth-rank official?"

"Um."

The stone was kicked again, but Shen He remained silent.

But in his heart he was thinking: How can I get my parents to spend some spirit stones to help Brother Yun go to the Immortal Market?

It was so close.

Shen Yue remained silent, and her steps were much slower than usual.

As Lu Yun passed by the Immortal Seal Pavilion, which was covered with three layers of glazed tiles, he paused in his steps.

He reached into his coat and touched the dusty storage bag.

Sell ​​everything? Sell the storage bag too, that should net you thirty spirit stones.

Should we give it a shot?

Drifting in the Immortal Realm without a means of making a living is certainly not as good as entering the Immortal Hall.

"It's not enough. It might achieve perfection, but the bottleneck is difficult to overcome!"

He paused for a moment, then continued walking forward.

Thinking of crossing over to the Holy Path, there is no Ascension Seal, no Nine-Rank Assessment.

One day he will become a Demon Lord, reigning supreme over the immortal path—

Lu Yun quickly dismissed the thought.

He spent time in the Holy Path.

It's a place where the strong rise and the weak fall, even more naked than the path of immortality.

If you go there as a weak person, you'll just be used as blood-selling consumables, and you won't even get a decent way to die.

Only when one reaches the mid-to-late stage of Qi Refining will one have the resources to establish oneself there.

If he finds no future in the Immortal Path after a few years, he will not hesitate to switch to the Sacred Path and fight for a better future.

Just like his father did back then.

Lu Yun snapped out of his thoughts and saw that Shen He was still looking sullen.

He raised his hand, slapped it down, and pressed it down.

"Once you arrive at the Immortal Hall, you'll see Brother Shen Yi. Cheer up."

Shen He's head slumped, and her hair bun tilted to one side.

"Oh, goodbye."

She shrank back, pulled her hair back, and muttered, "I just hope my brother doesn't cause too much trouble in the temple."

She gets scared when her older brother is mentioned.

The man was tall and strong, with a reckless and unruly personality. He loved to take her and Lu Yun to fight.

The problem is that the eldest brother rushed in and fought to his heart's content, completely ignoring the back row.

She was just a little girl; if it weren't for Lu Yun protecting her, she would have been beaten up from childhood to adulthood.

"Brother Shen Yi isn't the type to cause trouble."

Lu Yun himself didn't quite believe what he said.

He then placed his hand on Shen He's hair again, ruffling it into a mess.

Shen He narrowed her eyes slightly.

Lu Yun couldn't help but recall what happened back then.

He was not a member of the Shen family and was ostracized by the children of the Shen family since childhood, which also led to the isolation of Shen Yi and his sister.

Shen Yi had always liked fighting, and he couldn't find an excuse.

They then led their men and beat those people up again and again.

They successfully transformed the relationship from that of the "ostracized party" to that of the "ostracizing party."

Three years ago, Shen Yi went to the Immortal Hall and successfully passed the assessment to stay.

"Brother Lu, what are your plans for the future?"

Shen Yue remained silent for a while, then suddenly looked up at Lu Yun.

Sunlight fell on his face, outlining his cool and handsome features with a pale golden contour. His expression was indifferent, and he exuded a distant and aloof aura.

Many women in the monastery privately called him "Jade-faced Cold Blade".

The bad news is that she stayed.

The good news is that Lu Yun also stayed.

Otherwise, together...

If Lu Yun knew how they addressed each other, he would surely burst out laughing.

In his past life, he was ridiculed for his expressionless face; in this life, he has become a handsome and shrewd individual.

It's just that I've suffered loneliness in two lifetimes and don't want to show my emotions.

"Oh, Shen Yue, I haven't left yet!"

Shen He bared his fangs and reached out to grab her waist.

"Haha, don't tickle me... ha..."

The two were playfully bickering in front of them.

Lu Yun followed behind, a smile appearing on his face, and his worries were somewhat dispelled.

In this life, he finally experienced the troubles of being too good-looking.

He walked slowly, his hands behind his head.

Ordinary people on both sides of the street saw three young cultivators dressed in Taoist robes, their faces showing awe, and they consciously made way for them.

Lu Yun's gaze swept across their faces.

If it were an ancient dynasty, one could probably live a good life simply by seizing what's in front of them.

He looked up at the sky.

A streak of light flashed across the clouds and disappeared in an instant.

As Shen He passed a steamed bun shop, her pace unconsciously slowed down.

There's also a candied hawthorn stall on the left.

She sniffed lightly with her delicate nose, her eyes shifting from the steamer to the candied hawthorn.

In those bright, star-like eyes, longing almost overflowed.

His hand unconsciously reached for his waist and touched his money pouch.

"Fairy Shen, the immortals specifically instructed us not to sell you any food."

The shopkeeper was an elderly man, hunched over, looking extremely apprehensive.

"I...can't I even smell it? I won't buy it?"

Shen He reluctantly lowered her hand, her tone tinged with resentment.

"That would be my honor."

The shopkeeper quickly opened the steamer, and the aroma of steamed buns wafted out amidst the white steam.

"These steamed buns are made with mutton today, no good, pork is much better!"

"We'll wrap pork tomorrow."

Shen He leaned closer, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

For a moment, the expression on her face was as if she were imagining herself having a big meal.

Lu Yun looked at her and shook his head helplessly.

They even left a review.

Actually, he also wanted to eat some.

However, even spiritual materials contain impure energy, let alone ordinary food.

The monks ate spirit rice to stave off hunger.

The food we eat is too impure; eating it is like pouring sand into our meridians, which hinders our spiritual practice.

"You're drooling," Shen Yue said with a smile.

Shen He quickly took out her handkerchief, only to find that there was no saliva at all.

She chased after him, immediately embarrassed and annoyed: "Shen Yue, you're teasing me again!"

After the three people had walked away, the shopkeeper took out a signboard.

He happily wrote on it: "A giant meat bun that even fairies would drool over, ten coins each."

The signboard was poked at the entrance, the steamer was lifted, and white steam rose up.

Business immediately boomed.

The three of them laughed and joked as they walked through the long street.

The setting sun bathed the cobblestone path in a warm gold hue, and lanterns were hung up one after another from the shops on both sides, their orange-red lights illuminating the scene.

The three of them stopped in their tracks in front of the Shen residence.

The Shen family usually only opens the side gate, and the vermilion main gate is opened only a few times a year.

Welcoming the Immortal Master, welcoming the Clan Chief, and the Ancestor Worship Ceremony—these are just a few examples that can be counted on one's fingers.

Today, the main gate is wide open.

The lanterns above the door have been replaced, a red carpet has been laid on the threshold, and even the guards have been replaced with monks.

The two women immediately stopped laughing, straightened their backs, tucked their chins slightly, and resumed their dignified demeanor as well-bred ladies.

Lu Yun also raised his hand to straighten his clothes, smoothing out the wrinkles on his robe, and straightened his back.

The voice of the clan school master rang in my ears: If you don't observe proper etiquette, people will laugh at you.

The three entered the mansion through a side gate.

Just as they turned past the screen wall, Elder Shen An walked towards them.

This old man was usually very kind and always had a smile on his face. He never put on airs in front of the younger generation.

At this moment, there was not a trace of a smile on his face, and his brows were furrowed into a deep frown.

"You're finally back."

His gaze swept over Shen He and Shen Yue, finally landing on Lu Yun. His voice was deep, "Lu Yun, come with me to the council hall."

"The council chamber?"

Shen He strode in front of Lu Yun like a cat with its fur standing on end. "Uncle An, what brings us to the council hall?"

When the younger generation is called into the council chamber, it's never anything good.

"Don't be ridiculous."

Shen An lowered his voice, a solemnity he had never shown before appearing on his kind face. "This concerns the survival of the Shen family. You should go home first."

Lu Yun's heart skipped a beat.

How does my existence concern the Shen family?

Shen He was about to ask another question when Shen An released his oppressive aura, pinning the two of them to the spot.

He pulled Lu Yun and walked quickly toward the inner courtyard.

"Will Brother Yun be in danger?"

Shen He's voice came up from behind, trembling with sobs.

Shen Yue also called out, her throat tight.

Shen An did not turn around.

Lu Yun followed him through the corridor, his heart pounding like a drum: "Uncle An, what happened?"

As he walked inside, he clearly sensed a difference in the atmosphere within the mansion.

Everyone looked hurried and flustered.

When she saw Lu Yun, her gaze was complicated, as if he had suddenly become a problem.

"Your fiancée from the Miraculous Medicine Academy in Ganlin Domain has come to annul the engagement."

Shen An paused for a moment, then added, "He also brought along a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

"Ganlin Domain, Miaoyao Immortal Academy, fiancée?"

Lu Yun was a little dazed.

When his father brought him to Zixin City in Qinglan Domain, they passed through the neighboring Ganlin Domain.

But I don't remember finding him a fiancée.

and many more.

Gilded hydrangea.

"Deng Wenying?" he blurted out.

"It's her. This woman possesses a fire spirit body, her cultivation has reached the perfection of Qi Refining, and she is also an alchemist."

Anzu Lao stared at Lu Yun and carefully instructed him: "So you must not act impulsively and must not offend anyone."

"I know."

Lu Yun's expression was solemn, his mind racing.

The Miaoyao Immortal Academy is of a similar grade to the Hundred Refinements Immortal Academy in his own Qinglan Domain.

In such a celestial academy, Foundation Establishment cultivators are the pinnacle of existence.

With such exceptional talent, his prospective Daoist partner is bound to be a promising talent to be nurtured at the Immortal Academy.

Today, a Foundation Establishment cultivator has arrived to annul the engagement, which is clearly not something that can be refused.

Even if the three major families of Zixin City were united, they would be nothing more than a slap in the face of a Foundation Establishment True Person.

It's not surprising that someone at the second level of Qi Refining would be jilted by a genius with a spiritual body.

Lu Yun could understand.

The problem lies with the fact that the potential partners matched by the [Heavenly Marriage] are too strong.

"Have you informed the disciples of the Hundred Refinements Immortal Academy in the Cultivation Hall?" Lu Yun asked again.

"I asked them, and they have a guide scroll. They entered the Azure Mist Domain through the proper channels, so they shouldn't have gone too far."

"That's good. Whatever they say today, goes."

Lu Yun also breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing that he remained calm and composed, Shen An's expression softened.

"Your father was kind to her father; they were sworn brothers back then, and he lent her a spirit stone, which led to the marriage contract."

"Since we have a debt of gratitude and are both on the path of immortality, I imagine they won't make things difficult for me..."

Lu Yun listened without asking any more questions, having already sorted out the logic in his mind.

It should be the karmic reasoning that the Heavenly Marriage arranged for the Daoist couple.

But this cannot hide the fact that this talent is really a trap.

He thought he was being given a devoted Daoist partner, but he was wrong.

They're just giving me a title.

If the other party doesn't acknowledge it, then it's a bad thing.

Deng Wenying's visit this time has backfired. How should we deal with it?