"Purple Cloud Sect?"
Ji Chen frowned, trying to recall information related to this sect from his memory.
But he only found some fragmented memories.
In his impression, he had once visited this sect in his childhood.
It was not within the Chu Kingdom and was far away from the Lingyun Sect.
Without thinking much, Ji Chen opened the door and walked out, heading directly toward the main hall of the Lingyun Sect.
"This good-for-nothing finally arrived."
"To dare let the people of the Purple Cloud Sect wait so long for him, what arrogance."
Soon, Ji Chen arrived outside the main hall. Looking around, he saw many figures already gathered there, all young disciples of the Lingyun Sect.
Seeing Ji Chen's appearance, they all pointed at him and whispered something among themselves.
"Just a wastrel. If not for holding the position of Young Sect Leader, he would have been expelled from the Lingyun Sect long ago."
"The Purple Cloud Sect is now one of the top sects within the Profound Domain. It's said to have developed rapidly over the past decade, and many speculate that in two or three more years at most, they might establish themselves as a Sacred Land. In front of such a giant, our Lingyun Sect is indeed pathetically small."
"Alas, times have changed. Our Lingyun Sect once had its days of glory. Unfortunately, after the passing of the previous Sect Leader, the sect has gradually declined to its current state, reduced to a small sect within the Chu Kingdom..."
From the crowd's discussions, Ji Chen learned that the Purple Cloud Sect seemed much stronger than he had imagined. It was now an ultra-first-class power within the Profound Domain, with the potential of establishing itself as a Sacred Land in a few years.
The Ten Countries of the Profound Domain— the Chu Kingdom, where the Lingyun Sect was located, was just one of them.
This was an extremely vast region. Not to mention all of the Profound Domain, an average cultivator might not even be able to roam the entire Chu Kingdom in their lifetime.
The Lingyun Sect was once a powerful entity, barely considered a top-tier sect within the Profound Domain.
Unfortunately, after the passing of the former Sect Leader, the sect began to decline and was no longer as glorious as before.
"Speaking of which, with the current strength of the Purple Cloud Sect, our Lingyun Sect is merely like an ant to them. Why would they suddenly visit, and specifically look for Ji Chen, this wastrel?"
"Are you not aware? When our Lingyun Sect was still glorious, the relationship with the Purple Cloud Sect was quite good. Moreover, I heard that under the current Sect Leader of Purple Cloud is a direct disciple named Liu Qingcheng, who is roughly the same age as Ji Chen. The two were betrothed in childhood."
"Liu Qingcheng? Is that not the favored daughter known throughout the Profound Domain? At merely nineteen years old, reaching the Spirit Transformation Realm level of cultivation!"
"She has an engagement with Ji Chen? Is that true?"
Upon hearing these words, all the disciples present couldn't help but discuss among themselves.
Evidently, not many people knew about this matter.
Especially those disciples who had only joined the sect in recent years; today was their first time hearing about it.
"What qualities does this wastrel possess to climb to such a top-tier genius like Liu Qingcheng!"
In the midst of the crowd's discussions, Ji Chen had already stepped inside the Ancient Hall.
Though their voices weren't loud, Ji Chen could hear them clearly.
Only then did Ji Chen remember that there seemed to be such a matter indeed.
However, because it happened so long ago, and given that he was young at the time, how could he remember it?
Moreover, due to his wastrel ways over the recent years, spending every day in eating, drinking, and playing, he hadn't understood anything about the outside world. As a result, Ji Chen was unaware of the Purple Cloud Sect's development into an ultra-first-class power within the Profound Domain.
"Greetings, Father."
In the hall, Ji Chen walked slowly forward, bowing to Ji Xiaotian seated at the main position, before glancing around the room.
Aside from several elders of the Lingyun Sect, there were a few faces he didn't recognize.
Presumably, they must be people from the Purple Cloud Sect.
"You are Ji Chen?"
A woman dressed in a white long dress stood up. Her eyebrows were marked with red silk, her face as flawless as jade, and her somewhat indifferent gaze scanned Ji Chen up and down.
"And you are?"
Ji Chen slightly inclined his head, meeting her gaze. He did not recognize her.
Yet there was no denying the extraordinary allure of this woman. Her demeanor and actions exuded an unmatched aura, comparable to the Saintesses he had seen in his past life.
"Liu Qingcheng."
She met Ji Chen's eyes, head slightly raised, a hint of pride in her manner, and continued, "Do you know the reason for my visit today?"
Ji Chen remained silent. If he were still the wastrel he used to be, he wouldn't guess her intention.
But with the experience from his past life, Ji Chen only needed slight reasoning to figure it out.
"To cancel the engagement?" he queried in response.
Liu Qingcheng was momentarily taken aback by his words, but quickly composed herself, "It seems you're a bit smarter than I thought. Indeed, I'm here today to cancel the engagement."
Their simple exchange caused the disciples observing from outside the Ancient Hall to erupt in whispers.
"So it's about canceling the engagement!"
"I said so, how can Ji Chen, this wastrel, be worthy of someone like Liu Qingcheng, a favored daughter of the heavens?"
"Haha, this is going to be interesting."
The crowd murmured in low voices, unable to resist making taunts, all wearing expressions of keen interest.
Inside the Ancient Hall, atop the main seat, although Ji Xiaotian sat silently, his fists under his sleeves were tightly clenched.
He had long expected this day to come, yet when it actually happened before his eyes, he couldn't help feeling a surge of anger.
After all, the engagement between the two had been arranged over a decade ago, and now with the woman coming to annul it, it was a huge disgrace to Ji Chen and the entire Lingyun Sect, destined to become the subject of mockery from others.
Despite his anger, Ji Xiaotian was helpless, feeling an overwhelming sense of powerlessness.
Compared to the Purple Cloud Sect now, the gap with the Lingyun Sect was just too vast.
The main issue was that his own son was notoriously known as a wastrel.
In the coming years, if the Purple Cloud Sect truly established itself as a Sacred Land, Liu Qingcheng would undoubtedly be its Saintess.
When that time comes, how could the Purple Cloud Sect possibly allow a Saintess to marry someone like Ji Chen, a wastrel?
"Then let it be annulled," Ji Chen responded, his reaction shockingly calm, catching everyone off guard.
Originally, the disciples waiting outside for some drama were already looking forward to seeing Ji Chen's thick-skinned reluctance in letting go of the engagement.
But little did they know, Ji Chen was nothing like that.
Firstly, he had no feelings for Liu Qingcheng, and at their meeting just now, if she hadn't introduced herself, he wouldn't even have recognized her.
Secondly, Ji Chen was also acutely aware that the gap between him and Liu Qingcheng was indeed too vast, realms apart.
While being annulled by the woman might indeed be somewhat embarrassing, Ji Chen could also understand it.
In a collaborative thought exchange, if he were a genius from a powerful entity and was forced to marry a woman with a tainted reputation, whose strength and background were far inferior to his own, it is hard to imagine anyone on the receiving end of such a situation being able to accept it.