Gao Wu: Oh no! Young Master Zhen is a cultivator!

"Isn't that just lust at first sight?" Lin Ran casually remarked.

Zhao Meng chuckled awkwardly, "That's normal. If Sister Yanran were very ordinary-looking, Zhou Zexuan wouldn't be so persistent in pursuing her."

Lin Ran's expression turned slightly serious, and he asked in a deep voice, "So, is Sister Yanran willing to get engaged?"

"This..." Zhao Meng's face fell: "Sister Yanran is indeed unwilling, but she has no way to disobey my uncle's arrangements."

Lin Ran narrowed his eyes slightly: "If she really wants to resist, I can help her."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Meng panicked instantly and quickly tried to dissuade him.

"Brother, you're my own brother, don't make things worse now! The Zhou family of Xinhai is backed by the Zhou family of Beijing, with deep roots and influence. Our Zhao family can't afford to offend them!"

"We'll see," Lin Ran said nonchalantly. "I still feel indebted to Sister Yanran. If she's unwilling, I absolutely cannot stand by and watch others force her!"

Zhao Meng looked at Lin Ran with a strange expression, muttering under his breath, "You and Sister Yanran have something else going on? Aren't you already engaged to Chu Xining?"

Lin Ran glanced at him sideways: "What classmate? That's your sister-in-law!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Zhao Meng quickly corrected himself, "You're already engaged to my sister-in-law, how can you still be thinking about Sister Yanran?"

"It's not what you think; the situation is a bit complicated." Lin Ran shook his head. "Anyway, I owe Sister Yanran a favor, and if she's been wronged, I have to take care of it!"

Zhao Meng curled his lip and bluntly stated, "I think you're just trying to have your cake and eat it too!"

Lin Ran chuckled, a hint of threat in his eyes: "Heh, I think you're just asking for trouble!"

"Brother, I was wrong. I was narrow-minded." Zhao Meng immediately admitted defeat, and quickly waved his hand with a smile.

"When it comes to relationships, it always comes down to mutual consent. If Sister Yanran is willing, I'll call you brother-in-law from now on!"

Lin Ran rolled her eyes: "You're showing off!"

After chatting for a while, Bai Ruolin and Chu Xining walked into the banquet hall side by side.

Bai Ruolin's outfits are simple and elegant, her temperament is gentle, and her expression is serene.

Chu Xining was dressed in luxurious attire, exuding a noble and graceful demeanor.

The two women immediately approached Lin Ran upon seeing him, standing on either side of him, instantly making Zhao Meng seem somewhat superfluous.

Bai Ruolin's gaze swept across the dazzling banquet hall, and she turned to ask softly, "What do you plan to do?"

Lin Ran said calmly, "It still depends on what Sister Yanran herself thinks."

"Sister Yanran, you call me so affectionately." Chu Xining frowned slightly, with a hint of resentment in her voice.

Lin Ran looked slightly embarrassed: "Ahem, after all, she's Zhao Meng's cousin, I just called her that because he said so."

"Why don't I really believe it?" Chu Xining looked at Lin Ran with a doubtful expression.

Bai Ruolin chuckled and teased, "Not easy, huh? You've actually developed a brain?"

"What do you mean?" Chu Xining frowned and retorted, "What do you mean I don't have a brain?"

Bai Ruolin's smile remained unchanged: "Then tell me, what exactly is the meaning of Lin Ran coming here today?"

"Aren't you here for the engagement party?" Chu Xining blurted out.

Bai Ruolin shook her head slightly: "I take back what I just said."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xining's eyes flickered, and she lowered her voice: "We're not here for an engagement party, so we can't be here to cause trouble, can we?"

She turned to Lin Ran and asked earnestly, "Is it because Zhao Yanran doesn't want to get engaged to that man surnamed Zhou?"

Lin Ran nodded slightly, readily admitting, "Probably."

"Should we make a scene at the banquet hall and help her refuse the marriage?" Chu Xining asked, slightly excited.

Lin Ran looked puzzled: "What are you thinking about?"

"Isn't that right?" Chu Xining asked, puzzled.

"Of course not! Ultimately, it's up to her to decide." Lin Ran glanced sideways. "Are you willing to help her?"

"I can understand her." Chu Xining nodded gently: "I didn't want to marry Sun Jinghuan back then either. It's all thanks to Brother Lin Ran, otherwise I would have been in a very difficult position too."

A sudden pang of guilt welled up in Lin Ran's heart: "Ahem... I see."

Just then, the noise in the banquet hall suddenly subsided, and the engagement banquet officially began.

A dazzling spotlight focused on the center of the stage, illuminating the entire venue.

Zhao Yanran, dressed in a gorgeous evening gown, walked slowly onto the stage with a slender and graceful figure.

Her expression was indifferent, her eyes held no hint of a smile, and she exuded an aura of detachment and loneliness.

Standing on the stage, her gaze slowly swept over the guests, finally settling steadily on Lin Ran.

In an instant, a glimmer of light appeared in her eyes, and most of her cold and aloof aura quietly dissipated.

The emcee, microphone in hand, was about to announce the marriage agreement between the two families.

A clear and firm female voice suddenly rang out, decisively interrupting the entire audience.

"Wait! I disagree!" Zhao Yanran said stubbornly.

The noisy atmosphere in the hall came to an abrupt halt, and the entire room fell silent as all the guests looked up in astonishment.

Zhao Changfeng's face instantly turned ashen, his anger surging. He shouted sternly, "Insolence! How dare you cause trouble in this situation!"

"I've said it before, I disagree!" Zhao Yanran retorted, her voice echoing throughout the room.

"If you hadn't insisted on holding this engagement party, things wouldn't have turned out so ugly!"

"Patriarch Zhao, you'd better handle this properly!" Zhou Chengwu, the patriarch of the Zhou family, suddenly stood up, his face grim and unfriendly.

Zhao Changfeng quickly explained, "It's all because my daughter is ignorant; I will definitely discipline her properly."

After saying that, he looked at Zhao Yanran and angrily rebuked her in a deep voice: "Marriage is a major life event, how dare you make such a decision for yourself?"

Zhao Yanran showed no fear: "I dare to refuse in public because I have enough confidence!"

"Nonsense!" Zhao Changfeng's anger flared even more. "Do you think I don't know your own capabilities?"

"Dad, why don't we listen to what Yanran has to say?" Zhao Hao suggested from the side.

Zhao Changfeng glanced at Zhao Hao: "Is that something you should be saying?"

"Dad," Zhao Yanran said calmly, "what if I'm not what you imagine?"

Before she finished speaking, the aura of a martial artist at the Innate Realm emanated from her, sweeping across the entire banquet hall.

hum!

Those present all looked surprised and doubtful.

Zhou Chengwu looked at Zhao Yanran, his eyes narrowing slightly, his gaze sharp as a blade: "Is this your confidence?"

"Yanran, when did you break through to the Innate Realm?" Zhao Changfeng looked at his daughter with disbelief.

After a brief moment of surprise, he reverted to his firm stance: "Even if you've broken through to the Innate Realm, that's no excuse for you to act recklessly in public!"

Zhao Yanran declared loudly, "I possess a cultivation technique that leads directly to the Profound Realm. If this engagement is cancelled, I might have another chance to obtain a supreme cultivation technique that leads directly to the Celestial Realm!"

"Is that really true?" Zhao Changfeng's anger vanished instantly, replaced by urgency. "Why didn't you say so sooner?"

Zhao Yanran said calmly, "If we don't make it clear in this kind of setting, how can we ensure the engagement is null and void?"

"Where did you get this technique?" Zhao Changfeng asked hastily.

Zhao Yanran did not respond, but turned to look at Lin Ran below the stage, her intentions self-evident.

In an instant, all the guests' eyes were focused on Lin Ran, and whispers rose and fell among them.

"What do you mean? Miss Zhao's martial arts technique is related to Young Master Lin?"

"Speaking of which, Young Master Lin did give Miss Chu a cultivation technique that could directly lead her to the Profound Realm."

"Back then, Young Master Lin even directly helped Miss Chu break through to the Innate Realm!"

"No wonder... Just how many martial arts techniques does Young Master Lin possess?"

Lin Ran shook his head helplessly, slowly stood up, and said frankly with a smile, "It was a gift from me to her."

As soon as he finished speaking, the discussion erupted again.

"It really is Young Master Lin! That explains it!"

"It seems the eldest daughter of the Zhao family is going to become a concubine in the Lin family!"

"If someone could give you a cultivation technique that leads directly to the Profound Realm, would you be willing to become their servant?"

"I'd like to, but I'm a man!"

Zhao Changfeng looked embarrassed and forced a polite smile: "Ahem... Young Master Lin, if you have feelings for my daughter, you should have spoken up sooner rather than later..."