Chapter 11 The Unmatched Beauty

What caught Long Chen's eye was an extraordinary beauty, with eyebrows like willow leaves, eyes like autumn waters, skin as white as jade, and lips like crimson petals. Her cascading hair flowed down to her waist like a waterfall. Upon seeing Long Chen enter, her beautiful eyes met his, causing his heart to race wildly. The young girl seemed like an immortal from another realm, and because of her presence, the entire room felt like a fairyland. Long Chen found himself staring at the girl in a daze, utterly captivated. The girl's jade-like cheeks turned slightly red as she averted her gaze from Long Chen. Seeing this, Madam Long couldn’t help but clear her throat and say, “Chen’er, aren’t you going to greet Mengqi? She is your betrothed, after all.” At the mention of his fiancée, Madam Long’s face brimmed with joy, while Long Chen was taken aback. He had no idea he was engaged. “Nice to meet you, Miss Mengqi,” Long Chen finally responded, realizing his mother had been signaling him. He gave a slight bow. A hint of blush appeared on Mengqi’s pretty face as she returned the greeting with a bow, but her lips moved, and she didn’t say a word. Madam Long smiled slightly and said, “Mengqi, you and Long Chen are both young. You two chat for a bit; I’ll step out and prepare some food.” After speaking, Madam Long gave Long Chen an encouraging glance and left the room, leaving only the two of them behind. Faced with a celestial-like figure, Long Chen felt a bit at a loss for the first time. After a long pause, he managed to say, “Please, have a seat.” Mengqi gently shook her head, glanced at Long Chen, and with a flicker of complexity in her beautiful eyes, said, “Long Chen, I have something to discuss with you. Can we change places?” Long Chen was slightly taken aback but nodded. The two left the Long residence and found a secluded spot, where Long Chen stood in shock. Mengqi extended her jade-like hand in front of her chest and slowly formed a seal. Seeing the seal technique almost made Long Chen cry out in surprise, for he recognized its ability—Contract Summoning, a skill possessed only by Beast Tamers. “Buzz!” Suddenly, the space rippled, confirming Long Chen’s thoughts. A creature with the head of a lion and the body of an eagle, over three yards long, appeared before them, exuding a powerful aura. Although Long Chen had never cultivated before, he still had basic knowledge of magical beasts from his bestiary, and he recognized this beast as a Lion Eagle, a terrifying second-tier magical beast. This Lion Eagle appeared to be not fully grown, but its combat power was enough to rival even an average Blood Condensation realm expert. However, this seemingly ferocious Lion Eagle was unusually docile in front of Mengqi, lying obediently on the ground. Mengqi lightly stepped forward and slowly climbed onto the Lion Eagle's back, saying to Long Chen, “Come up.” Long Chen glanced at Mengqi and noticed a hint of panic in her eyes. After a moment of hesitation, he climbed up as well. Being on the back of a magical beast for the first time made Long Chen a bit nervous. After all, such creatures could be dangerous when agitated. “Whoosh!” The Lion Eagle suddenly spread its wings wide, and with its massive form, soared into the sky. At that moment, Long Chen almost got thrown off. Suddenly, a jade hand supported Long Chen, alleviating his embarrassment. He saw Mengqi's pretty face carrying a hint of playful amusement, wanting to laugh but holding back, which made Long Chen feel even more awkward. “I’m a bit afraid of flying,” Long Chen smiled slightly and gave a poor excuse. Mengqi couldn’t help but chuckle, but suddenly turned her face away in embarrassment. The Lion Eagle flew swiftly, and in no time, they had left the Imperial Capital, landing on the distant Luoxia Mountain. As the sky darkened and the sunset bled red, it illuminated the entire Imperial Capital, creating a beautiful scene. The two stood on the mountain peak, neither speaking. Long Chen gazed at the Imperial Capital, a hint of helplessness flashing in his starry eyes. “Long Chen, I…” Mengqi hesitated for a long time, finally taking a deep breath and softly spoke. “Are you here to cancel the engagement?” Long Chen didn’t turn around, still staring at the Imperial Capital. Mengqi’s heart trembled, and disbelief colored her lovely face. “You… know?” “I guessed,” Long Chen slowly turned his gaze back, looking at Mengqi’s flawless face and said, “Thank you.” “Thank me?” Mengqi looked puzzled. “Thank you for not mentioning it in front of my mother, for not making her sad, and for considering my face. So, I want to thank you,” Long Chen smiled. Mengqi looked at Long Chen, having already learned about his recent circumstances over the past few days. She had imagined how furious he would be upon hearing this news, how he would go wild, even cursing, but she never expected to encounter such a situation today. “I know you are a woman of exceptional talent, capable of taming a second-tier magical beast at such a young age. And I am just a mere mortal; we come from two different worlds. You are not wrong for this, and there is no need for you to feel sad,” Long Chen said with a slight smile, warm and comforting. But seeing that smile, Mengqi's heart inexplicably ached. This big boy had already gone through too much misfortune, and she didn’t want to rub salt in his wounds. Wasn’t that too heartless? “Give me a few days, and I will persuade my mother to cancel this engagement. I promise I won’t make you wait too long,” Mengqi said. Having said that, Long Chen turned and walked away slowly. The sunset’s afterglow illuminated his slender figure, making him appear somewhat desolate on the mountain path. Watching Long Chen leave, tears streamed down Mengqi’s beautiful eyes, and she covered her cherry lips with her jade hand. “Was what I did right or wrong?” Behind Mengqi, a girl slowly approached, softly comforting her, “Sister, since it has been said, let’s resolve it completely. But this Long Chen does seem a bit pitiful.” The two girls watched Long Chen’s figure until he disappeared completely. After Long Chen descended the mountain, his mood became increasingly gloomy. When he first saw Mengqi, he felt a deep admiration for her. Mengqi’s ethereal demeanor was like that of a celestial maiden from the ninth heaven. As a mere mortal, how could Long Chen not be moved? But just as he had begun to feel that admiration, a bucket of cold water was poured over him before he could express it. No one would feel good in such a situation. Long Chen’s soul power was exceptionally strong, making him very sensitive to others' emotions. When Mengqi displayed her abilities and summoned the Lion Eagle, he sensed that something was amiss, leading to their later conversation. “Before even falling in love, I’ve experienced heartbreak.” Long Chen felt a wave of sorrow in his heart. He wanted to scream in madness. After enduring so much grievance and oppression, he hadn’t cried once, but now he genuinely felt an impulse to cry. He could sense that Mengqi was a kind-hearted girl; otherwise, she wouldn’t have cared for his feelings and could have simply canceled the engagement in the most straightforward way. Long Chen didn’t want to cancel the engagement either, but what could he do? Should he cry and plead, snot and tears flowing? Fine, if there was truly a way to salvage it, Long Chen wouldn’t mind throwing away his pride for it. But even if he did, it would hold no meaning. It would be better to part on good terms. Though it pained him, Long Chen still endured it. By the time he returned home, it was already dark. As soon as he returned, his mother immediately bombarded him with questions about what had happened, what progress they had made, and whether there had been any intimate actions. Feeling helpless, Long Chen finally managed to answer a few questions before asking, “Mother, how exactly did I get engaged to Mengqi? Why didn’t you tell me?” Hearing Long Chen’s question, Madam Long’s eyes flickered with pain but quickly concealed it. She told Long Chen that the two families were once very close. Long Chen’s father and Mengqi’s father were sworn brothers, and later the two made a pact, declaring that any children they had—if a boy, they would be brothers; if a girl, they would be sisters; and if they had one of each, they would be husband and wife. Long Chen slightly pursed his lips. They were all so spirited, but he felt miserable. “Mother, I feel that Mengqi and I are somewhat mismatched,” Long Chen thought for a while and finally steeled himself to say. “What?” Madam Long’s expression changed slightly as she looked at Long Chen in disbelief. “Cough, Mother, don’t be agitated. I mean, I feel that Mengqi and I are somewhat mismatched. After all…” Long Chen said awkwardly. “Rubbish! What nonsense are you talking? Mengqi is like a celestial being; how could she possibly be mismatched with you?” Madam Long became angry and scolded. “Mother, please listen to me. Love is about mutual consent; otherwise, what’s the point? You made the engagement without our agreement. Isn’t that a bit too arbitrary?” Long Chen smiled. “You… you’re really going to drive me crazy!” Madam Long couldn’t accept Long Chen’s words, her tears flowing. Long Chen felt awkward but couldn’t tell the truth, so he just stood there. As Madam Long cried, she suddenly asked, “Chen’er, tell me the truth, did Mengqi back out?” “Of course not! Mengqi is a good girl. It’s just that I find it a bit too sudden and can’t accept it,” Long Chen hurriedly said. “Don’t say anymore, child. It’s your father and I who are sorry for you.” Madam Long wasn’t foolish; she knew Long Chen’s temperament well. After a moment of thought, she realized it was more complicated than it seemed and hugged Long Chen, crying. “Mother, it’s not as bad as you think. I’m just saying that it’s not suitable for now. I didn’t say it wouldn’t be suitable in the future,” Long Chen smiled. “I plan to cancel the engagement first, and then I’ll win her back based on my abilities. Wouldn’t that be a happy ending for everyone?” Long Chen said cheerfully. “Humph! It’s not that simple. Mengqi is as beautiful as a celestial goddess, and there are countless people pursuing her. Once the engagement is canceled, you’ll have no chance!” Madam Long sighed and continued, “What you said makes sense; such matters can’t be forced. Since it’s your engagement, you’ve grown up now, so you should make your own decisions.” “Thank you, Mother,” Long Chen finally sighed in relief. Madam Long took out an ancient wooden box from under the bed, retrieving a thin piece of paper and handing it to Long Chen, saying, “This is your marriage certificate. If you want to cancel the engagement, just destroy this.” Long Chen took the thin piece of paper, and his heart was like a mixed bag of emotions. He was losing a fiancée as beautiful as a celestial being, which made him feel very reluctant.