System Journey to Godhood

"I don't think I'm ready to marry in the near future, Father," replied Li Xuan coldly while her voice sounds slightly agitated.

"Xuan, you should be aware that this matter wasn't only affecting you, but also our family's fate. So you should think about it carefully, Xuan," said Patriarch Li solemnly.

"Aren't you overthinking thing? Although we fall shortly before the other great family's power, we're still one of the great families after all. Furthermore, our relation with Feng Family is also quite good," said Li Xuan rebutting Patriarch Li's words.

"You haven't heard the recent news, Xuan. There's a rumor that Feng Xue and her friend encounter one of the demon princes in Blackwood forest and kill him. The grudge between Heavenly Blood Sect and Feng Family had already become unreconcilable. They won't stop until one of them disappear from this world."

"The strange thing is Heavenly Blood Sect wasn't even retaliating after suffering such loss,. Despite their arrogance and overbearingness, they still gritted their teeth and didn't make any move. So it can only mean two things: they were scared of Feng Family, or they are preparing for a big move. I don't think it was the former," explained Patriarch Feng.

"Then, even more so, we should have to strengthen our relationship with Feng Family since they also had Heaven Sword Sect as their backing. We don't need to butter up to Xiao Family," uttered Li Xuan indignantly.

"Aah, this is where your lack of experience becomes apparent," Patriarch Li shook his head and shot Li Xuan a disappointed gaze. "The current Feng Family is like a fox exploit a tiger's might. If something happens to Heaven Sword Sect, Feng Family won't have anything to depend on, and they will only become a fat lamb in many other's eyes."

Patriarch Li added, "Don't you realize that Patriarch Feng is nowhere to be seen even at the time Yan Family attacked them? It most likely he had encountered a mishap; who knows, he might have passed on already? With their sole nascent soul stage cultivator is currently unavailable, how can they survive the upcoming storm? If we appear to be close to them, our family surely will be implicated."

Even if he didn't directly state so, his intention was naked to the eyes.

"You mean we should abandon them? Like what we did when Yan Family attacked them?" snarled Li Xuan while looking at her father with disbelief.

"Yes. Although our relationship with Feng Family is quite decent, we can't get closer to them compared to Xiao Family which we can form an intimate relationship with. That's why we should forge connections to Young Master Xiao and Xiao Family since they are also connected to War God Temple. If we can successfully bond with them through marriage, our family's future will be more secured. In this matter, we can only depend on you, Xuan." Patriarch Li nodded without any sense of remorse, and he didn't bat an eye when he implied that he would use Li Xuan as a bargaining chip.

Li Xuan bit her lips so hard it bled. Her chest was shook upside down as she contained her rage.

"I understand, father. Give me some time to think about it."

Eventually, only those words came out of her mouth. 

"Alright, but don't take too much time. We don't want to lose our chance to another family. I heard Murong Family is also on the move."

Before leaving, Patriarch Fang stared deeply into Li Xuan's eyes, "Xuan, do you hate me?"

Li Xuan turned her face down to avert his gaze and answered with a weak voice, "I don't dare, Father."

"I know I have failed you as a Father. However, compared to the well-being of our family, I can only wrong you, Xuan. I'm not asking for your forgiveness, but for you to understand," after saying such words, Patriarch Li left toward the mansion.

Li Xuan looked at her father's back that slowly disappeared into the mansion with a complicated gaze. Then, after a while, she heaved a deep sigh, deep enough as if it was coming from the bottom of her heart.

"People said that the reason cultivators begin cultivating is to defy the heaven and fight to change their destiny, and yet, after getting stronger, we still chain down by many things."

"Can I escape my fate as a tool for my family?"

The more she thought about it, the more helpless she felt.

"You can only blame yourself for being weak."

A voice came out of nowhere, startled Li Xuan. 

When she realized that the voice's owner was the white rabbit in her hand, she quickly tossed it into the air and drew her sword, ready to strike.

"You… Are you a demon?"

"Hold your horses, missy. Let's talk with our mouth and not our fist. I know someone as beautiful as you shouldn't prefer this barbaric method~" said Rong Hua playfully.

"Answer my question, who are you? And why are you here?" Li Xuan grew more anxious and impatient.

"I'm Rong Hua! The one and only talking rabbit in myriad worlds!" declared Rong Hua proudly while puffing her furry chest. "As for why I'm here, let's just say that I'm interested in you, or to be exact in your potential," said Rong Hua, omitting her real thought, 'duh, of course, it was due to your pretty face too.'

"What do you mean by my potential? I'm just a Qi Transformation cultivator with a measly profound-rank constitution," Li Xuan was quite intrigued when she heard Rong Hua's answer. She felt something was triggered deep inside her heart.

"Hah, that's only because the one who examined you is a frog in the well. How can they know how formidable your physique is with their limited knowledge," sneered Feng Xue with a disdainful expression, "Say, what do you think your physique is?"

"A profound-rank Yin Essence Body," replied Li Xuan honestly.

"Heh, that's where you are wrong!" declared Rong Hua while pointing her paw at Li Xuan. "Your physique is Nine Yin Exquisite Body, a spirit-rank physique, one level beyond heaven-rank physique!"

Li Xuan felt her heart nearly stopped from the revelation. Her head suddenly felt dizzy, and she stammered, finding it difficult to spoke clearly.

"B-b-beyond Heaven-rank physique!"