Library of Heaven’s Path

“Progeny of Combat and Guild Leader Wang Ying, are you two planning to make enemies out of our Luo Clan?” the head of the Luo Clan growled menacingly.

“Didn’t your Luo Clan’s Luo Xuanqing nearly take our teacher’s life earlier? You should be glad that he failed. Know that I won’t allow any of you to put our teacher’s life in jeopardy anymore! If you wish to harm even a single strand of my teacher’s hair, you’ll have to step over my dead body!” Zheng Yang glared down at the crowd of the Luo Clan intimidatingly.

“Anyone who intends harm to our teacher will be our enemy!” Wang Ying and Lu Chong stepped forward as well.

The auras emanated by the three of them towered as if an unscalable mountain. The elders who had intended to make a move earlier were forced to stop in their footsteps, not daring to move at all.

They could not have cared less about the enmity between the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan, but anyone who dared lay their hands on their teacher would be their enemy!

“Well said!” Sword Saint Meng stepped forward and swung her sword threateningly too. “My son will have my full support no matter what he does. If you intend to hurt him, don’t even expect my blade to take mercy on you!”

“You…” The head of the Luo Clan’s face turned red with rage. He immediately turned his gaze toward Sword Saint Xing and questioned sharply, “Is this your intention too?”

“I…” Sword Saint Xing was put on the spot.

The marriage between the two clans should have been happy news, but who could have thought that it would end in such a state?

Seeing Sword Saint Xing’s hesitation, Sword Saint Meng roared furiously. “Zhang Zhenxing! You have already sacrificed your son once! If you make him suffer any more grievances, I’ll take my son and leave the Zhang Clan immediately for a place where you will never find us!”

“This…” Sword Saint Xing scratched his head in embarrassment before clasping his fist toward the head of the Luo Clan and bowing. “My apologies, Clan Head Luo, but I’ll have to side with my own son!”

As he said those words, he went over and stood beside Sword Saint Meng.

It was not just because he was afraid of his wife but also because he was painfully aware of the fact that he was indebted to his son.

“Good. Very good! It seems like all of you are intending to sever relations with our Luo Clan today!” The head of the Luo Clan ground his teeth and roared with seething fury. “Since that’s the case… elders of the Luo Clan, heed my orders! Seal the Shrouding Ethereal City and prevent anyone of the Zhang Clan from escaping!”

“Yes, clan head!”

Hualala!

Upon receiving their orders, the elders of the Luo Clan immediately moved to seal the surrounding space, such that even Teleportation Formations were rendered ineffective.

Seeing that the Luo Clan had chosen to make a move, one of the elders of the Zhang Clan bellowed in response, “Disciples of the Zhang Clan, bear arms and protect your clan head!”

Since both clans had already fallen out, there was no need for them to put up a front anymore. If a battle was inevitable, the Zhang Clan would not go down without a fight!

“This…”

“If I knew that this would happen, I never would have come to this engagement ceremony…”

No one could have thought that the two clans, which had been chummy with one another a moment ago, would suddenly fall out in the blink of an eye. The clan heads of the other Sage Clans watched the situation hesitantly by the side, not knowing what they should do.

Helping the Luo Clan would mean offending the Zhang Clan, and vice versa… but they could not afford to offend either of these two powers!

From the looks of it, it seemed like this matter would not end well.

“Stop!”

Seeing that a battle would break out at any moment, a sharp voice echoed across the entire city. The next moment, the little princess of the Luo Clan, Luo Qiqi, stepped forward.

Weng!

A spherical artifact materialized in her hand, and with a slight jolt, the sealed space immediately shattered apart, reverting to its original form.

The Dimension Silencer, the ultimate treasure of the Luo Clan!

Its very presence carried an inviolable authority that made others not dare face it.

“Yuxin…” Taken aback by his daughter’s actions, the head of the Luo Clan panicked.

“Little Sister…” Luo Xuanqing was also uncomprehending of his younger sister’s actions.

“Father, Elder Brother, and elders, I hope that you can allow me to deal with my own matters…” Luo Qiqi clasped her fist.

“This…” Seeing his daughter’s determined gaze, the head of the Luo Clan’s fury dissolved into tenderness. “Forget it! If you suffer the slightest grievance, make sure to tell me. I might be getting old, but I haven’t grown senile. I won’t allow others to bully my daughter!”

“Thank you, Father!” Luo Qiqi nodded. She turned her gaze toward Zhang Xuan, and with a pleading look in her eyes, she said, “Teacher, you once told me that you would redress my grievances for me if someone bullied me… Do those words still count?”

“I…” Zhang Xuan was stunned, not knowing how he should respond.

Those were the words that he had told her when they parted at Qingyuan City, but who could have thought that this would happen instead?

When the one who had bullied her was him, how was he supposed to redress her grievances?

“I’m the one who did you wrong, Qiqi…” Zhang Xuan paused for a moment before saying, “Let’s nullify the engagement between the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan. You will no longer be bound by the restraints of your engagement. You will finally be able live your life freely.”

He could not redress her grievances anymore, and the only thing that he could do was nullify the engagement and set her free.

“You are nullifying the engagement between the two of us?” Luo Qiqi shook her head. She stared into the distance with glazed eyes as a bitter smile spread upon her lips. “Those that I hold dear will not necessarily be with me for life. Just like the broken artifact back then, no matter what I do, it can just never be the same anymore… You might be granting me the freedom I seek, but if that means that the person I love will leave me, never to return again… Teacher, you also know that I’m an obstinate person. I disagree to the nullification of our engagement!”

“You… Why do you have to do this to yourself?” Zhang Xuan looked at the young lady with a pained expression. “If you announce the nullification of our engagement, your Luo Clan will at least be able to preserve its dignity and honor!”

“I know! I know it… but my heart doesn’t allow me to do so!” Luo Qiqi cried.

If she proposed the nullification of their engagement, while this matter would still be a huge stain on the Luo Clan’s history, it would at least preserve their reputation and honor. However, that would also mean extinguishing the final flicker of hope that they could be together.

It was simply too cruel for her to make such a decision. She had put all of her heart into this relationship, only to meet with such an ending. She could not accept it, and she did not want to accept it either!

“You should know that there’s no other way out of this,” Zhang Xuan said.

Since the person that he had chosen was Luo Ruoxin, he had to nullify the engagement. Otherwise, he would only be further hurting everyone around him.

Luo Qiqi turned around and said, “Then… you should be the one to do it…”

“I’m sorry…” Knowing that Luo Qiqi would not be able to do it, Zhang Xuan tossed his clan head token into the air and declared, “I, Zhang Xuan, in my capacity as the head of the Zhang Clan, hereby announce the nullification of my marriage with the little princess of the Luo Clan. This nullification stems from my own problem, and I am unworthy to take her as my wife!”

Those words reverberated across space, causing the air to tremor.

“Yuxin…” Upon hearing those words, the head of the Luo Clan widened his eyes in shock.

At the same time, Luo Xuanqing also glared at Zhang Xuan as if he was facing his sworn enemy.

Even with Zhang Xuan’s clarification, the world would not remain oblivious to the truth. Word would spread, and the reputation of the Luo Clan would inevitably be sullied.

“Pavilion Master Ren, I have already made up my mind. I’ll have to trouble the Master Teacher pavilion to relay my declaration to the world word for word!” Zhang Xuan took back his clan head token before clasping his fist toward Ren Qingyuan to make that request.

The fastest way to disseminate the news would be through the Master Teacher Pavilion.

“I understand, Zhang shi!” Ren Qingyuan nodded.

When it came to relationships, no matter how one tried, it was impossible for everyone to be happy. There would never be a clear right or wrong.

“Qiqi, take care of yourself!” Having done that, Zhang Xuan took one last glance at the forlorn back of the young lady before walking away.

The elders of the Luo Clan wanted to stop him, but looking at the Dimension Silencer floating in the air, they had no choice but to hold themselves back.

“Teacher…”

Barely after taking a few steps, the young lady’s voice sounded once more.

Zhang Xuan stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around to look at the young lady’s back.

It was a long while before the young lady spoke once more.

“Will you… still teach me pill forging in the future?”

“Of course!” Zhang Xuan nodded. “I’ll teach you whatever you want to learn!”

—

Translator’s Note: This is one of the arcs that I like the most yet feel the most resentful toward too. In this arc, we saw Zhang Xuan’s rise to power and Luo Ruoxin’s return. Honestly, the reveal that the little princess as Luo Qiqi should have been much less obvious, but it’s always easy to put the clues together once you have been spoiled and know the endpoint. I have been following the comment section, and it’s apparent how much spoilers have ruined all the suspense for future plot details.

As always, I would ask for those who have read the raws or heard spoilers not to post future content in the comment section because it really ruins immersion.

If you have read the raws or looked up spoilers, I’m sure you do have some love for this book, so please don’t kill it through posting spoilers here. There are other more appropriate places to post and ask for spoilers.

Even if I could delete comments, it would be hard for me to distinguish between legitimate theories and spoilers, so I can only appeal to your goodwill not to post spoilers, as well as the community to denounce those who spoil the story and not give a thumbs up to their comments.

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Author’s Note: The Eleventh Arc [Zhang Xuan Breaks the Engagement] hereby comes to an end. The confession from Qiqi was designed in accordance to a song that I really liked half a year ago, <It Isn’t Just Like> by Xiao Quan, the idea that my feelings for you don’t just stop at the level of like, but I can’t find the answer I am seeking for in your eyes.

Each time that song plays on the car radio, I couldn’t help but think of the second female lead of that drama and cry. For this character, I have cried many times.

Anyway, let the curtain unfold on the next arc [Finale at the Master Teacher Pavilion]. In the next arc, Zhang Xuan shall become a Great Sage realm expert and stand at the top of the continent.

Anyway, with this arc coming to an end, pour in your power stones and let’s secure the top spot together!