Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chapter 154 If Senior Sister Refuses, I Will Come to Welcome Her

(Latest Update: Senior Sister, stop working and come home for dinner!)

Chen Anran listened to these explanations without much expression on her face. Her gaze swept calmly over Feng Yue and Feng Lie before finally settling on Feng Changyuan's face.

"Misunderstanding?" He repeated softly, his tone unreadable. "Feng Xiaolu is my senior sister. We grew up together in the Cloud Hidden Sect and are like sisters. I know her personality better than any of you. She wouldn't ask me for help unless she was in trouble."

A moment of silence fell over the carriage. The members of the Feng family exchanged glances, their eyes flickering.

Feng Yue covered his still throbbing eyes and said in a muffled voice, "Family affairs are not for an outsider like you to interfere with. Xiao Lu has her own destiny..."

"It seems our 'exchange' just now wasn't deep enough." Qi Lan clenched her fist, her knuckles making a crisp sound, and her amber eyes narrowed dangerously as she looked at Feng Yue.

Feng Yue's face paled, and he subconsciously shrank back, swallowing back the rest of his words.

Seeing this, Feng Changyuan sighed inwardly. He knew that if he continued to conceal or evade the issue, this matter would definitely not end well. Chen Anran, seemingly calm, was actually unpredictable and extremely determined. Since he was willing to confront the entire Feng family for Feng Xiaolu's sake, he would not give up until he obtained definite information.

"Fellow Daoist Chen," Feng Changyuan raised his hand to stop the clansman who was about to speak, and looked at Chen Anran with a complicated expression, "Just as the clansmen said, Xiao Lu is fine, she's perfectly alright."

Then, Feng Changyuan changed the subject, "Xiao Lu may have mentioned to you that the Feng family has been communicating with various major families recently."

"Hmm." Chen Anran said calmly, "She mentioned it, saying it was an exchange and learning activity for the younger generation, and there would also be competitions."

Feng Changyuan licked his dry lips, feeling that what he was about to say was difficult to say, but under Chen Anran's calm yet extremely imposing gaze, he still forced himself to continue: "This exchange... is on a grand scale and involves many hidden families."

Chen Anran frowned. "Get to the point."

Feng Changyuan hesitated for a long time before finally answering, "It's a marriage alliance."

"A marriage alliance?"

Chen Anran repeated those two words, his voice not loud, yet it seemed to make the temperature in the entire carriage drop several degrees. The faint smile on his face vanished completely, and his eyes turned icy, piercing straight at Feng Changyuan.

"Yes...yes." Feng Changyuan felt a pang of fear under Chen Anran's gaze, and forced himself to explain, "One of the core topics of this exchange among the major families is to strengthen their ties through marriage."

"That's why she didn't want to, and that's why she asked me for help." Chen Anran interrupted him, his tone firm and without a trace of doubt. He knew Feng Xiaolu too well; there was no way Feng Xiaolu would willingly accept a marriage for the sake of her family's interests.

Feng Changyuan remained silent for a moment, which was taken as tacit agreement. The other members of the Feng family in the carriage also lowered their heads or looked away, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Feng Yue could no longer hold back and snorted, "Men should marry when they come of age, and women should marry when they come of age! Xiao Lu is of marriageable age and is a cultivator. Finding a suitable partner of equal social standing and cultivation level to cultivate together will only benefit her future path to immortality, not harm her! What kind of grievance is this?"

The more he spoke, the more reasonable he became. Ignoring Feng Changyuan's glare, he continued, "Young Chen, you keep saying that my Feng family forced her, but do you know what a remarkable person we chose for her? He's the direct descendant of the Jiang family of Shu, a young man who has already reached the late stage of Qi Refining. In terms of family background, talent, and appearance, in what way is he not a good match for Xiaolu? Such a perfect match is something many noble families would kill for!"

A middle-aged female cultivator beside her couldn't help but chime in, "That's absolutely right. Cultivators have long lifespans, and without a like-minded partner to support them, how lonely would the long path of immortality be? That young master of the Jiang family and Xiaolu are of similar age, and a marriage between their families would be a great help to her cultivation, as they would complement each other's resources! How could we, as her fellow clansmen, possibly harm her?"

"Resource complementarity? A tremendous boost?" Chen Anran chewed on these words, her eyes growing colder. "So, for the sake of these so-called resources and boosts, you can disregard her own wishes? Even when she clearly objected, even sending out distress signals, you still think this is for her own good?"

Feng Lie struggled to sit up, panting heavily as he roared, "Chen Anran! Don't be so unreasonable! As a member of the Feng family, it's only natural that you enjoy the family's support and contribute to the family! Marriage alliances strengthen the family; everyone prospers together—this principle holds true everywhere! Besides, this is actually a good thing for her. She's young and may not understand things right now, but are we just going to let her do whatever she wants?"

"Acting recklessly as she pleases?" Chen Anran slowly stood up, her gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping over each member of the Feng family. "So, what she sees as a cage, a predicament, is seen by you as ungrateful and willful?"

He took a step forward. Although his aura did not surge, the cold pressure made everyone in the carriage gasp for breath.

"I don't care how talented that young master of the Jiang family is, nor do I care how much benefit the marriage between the two families will bring." Chen Anran's voice was not loud, but every word struck a chord in everyone's heart. "I only know that my senior sister is unwilling."

"If she's willing, I'll offer my blessings. But since she's unwilling..."

Chen Anran's gaze finally settled on Feng Yue's face.

"...Then as her junior brother, I must take her back."

Feng Yue's face turned ashen with rage, his finger trembling as he pointed at Chen Anran: "You're utterly unreasonable! Do you think the kindness of your family in raising you, and the painstaking planning of your elders, are worthless? A union between cultivators is a matter between two families, concerning inheritance and the future. How can it be like a mortal's affair, based solely on love? Having a good Daoist partner, supporting each other, and exploring the Great Dao together—isn't that the aspiration of every cultivator?"

"A long-cherished wish?" Qi Lan scoffed from the side, speaking lazily, "Forced love is never sweet; everyone knows that."

Feng Yue was speechless, his face flushed red with anger at Qi Lan's words. An awkward and tense atmosphere filled the carriage. Although the Feng family members were indignant, they were persuaded by Chen Anran and the other two with their overwhelming force that no one dared to argue anymore.

Chen Anran stopped looking at them and turned her gaze to the window. The vehicle had restarted and was now driving on an increasingly rugged mountain road. The surrounding scenery was becoming more and more desolate, with distant mountains stretching out under the winter twilight and clouds, exuding a somber atmosphere.

"How much longer until we reach the Feng family?" Chen Anran asked casually.

Feng Changyuan rubbed his still aching arm and said with a wry smile, "Almost there. Once we pass through that 'Maze Forest,' we'll reach the entrance to the family's barrier."

"The Lost Forest?" Qi Lan raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound like a good place. Is there some kind of ambush here?"

Feng Lie replied in a deep voice, "That's the outer barrier of my Feng family's protective formation. Anyone who doesn't understand formations could wander around for three days and three nights and still not find the way in!"

Chen Anran didn't say anything. He silently took out his phone to check the location Feng Xiaolu had sent him. After confirming that the general direction was correct, he closed his eyes for a short rest.