Chapter 649: That is where I truly belong

On the left side of the central high platform sat the civil and military officials of the Tianyang Empire, along with the sect leader and numerous elders of the Cangqiong Sect.

Ling Feng pushed his way to the front of the crowd and was immediately spotted by Wen Tingguang, who, with a firm grip, pulled him into the Cangqiong Sect's seating area.

"

Haha,

you rascal, you finally made it! I knew you'd show up," Wen Tingguang said with a hint of joy on his face, patting Ling Feng on the shoulder. "Come, follow me quickly!"

The civil and military officials, seeing Ling Feng personally invited by Elder Wen, respectfully made way for him, assuming Ling Feng must be some sort of esteemed lord.

Ling Feng nodded slightly, his gaze turning toward the central high platform. As the princess for this arranged marriage, Yue Yunlan sat beside the emperor of Tianbai, looking every bit the royal.

Yue Yunlan's beautiful eyes held a trace of sorrow, likely due to the helplessness of her fate, leaving her with a sense of self-pity.

It was the first time Ling Feng saw Yue Yunlan looking so dejected. He felt his heart being tightly clenched, and couldn't help but ball his fists.

"Miss, look, that fool has arrived!" Qiao Qiao, standing next to Yue Yunlan, spotted Ling Feng and immediately showed a glimmer of excitement in her eyes. She whispered, "Miss, if that fool takes action, you won't need to worry anymore."

Yue Yunlan bit her lip, her eyes looking at Ling Feng as she murmured, "I hope so..."

...

Soon, Ling Feng reached the Cangqiong Sect's seating area. Yue Tengfeng immediately greeted him warmly, though the other two brothers of the Yue family were not as enthusiastic.

"Ling Feng, my young friend, you've come," said Yue Zhonglian, casting a glance at Ling Feng, as if he had expected his return. A slight smile hung on his face, with a trace of hope hidden beneath it.

How could he bear to marry his daughter off to the Tianyang Empire? Yet, as the sect leader of the divine guardian sect, he had no choice but to let his daughter make such a sacrifice.

𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Now, he could only hope that the young talents of the Tianbai Empire could win against the genius martial artists from the Tianyang Empire.

"Yes." Ling Feng clenched his fists, his expression cold and indifferent. He said lightly, "I just came to see."

In life, there were too many things one couldn't control. Ling Feng understood Yue Zhonglian's actions, but that didn't mean he agreed with them.

Could a kingdom's prosperity justify sacrificing one's daughter?

If it were Ling Feng, he would rather see the kingdom fall than sacrifice anyone close to him.

"What kind of attitude is that?" Yue Tianqun shouted angrily, pointing at Ling Feng's face.

"Stand down!" Yue Zhonglian shot a sharp look at his third son, sighed softly, and glanced at the seat next to him. "Ling Feng, take a seat."

"No need. I come from a humble background and am not worthy to sit alongside the sect leader," Ling Feng replied with a slight smile. He clasped his hands in a respectful gesture toward Wen Tingguang. "Brother Wen, it's better if I don't stay here and make myself unwelcome."

Ling Feng glanced down at the crowd. Gu Tengfeng and Jiang Xiaofan had already arrived, too. He smiled faintly. "That is where I belong."

With that, Ling Feng turned without looking back and leaped into the crowd below. Though there were no luxurious seats or admiring gazes, he had his friends.

"Ling Feng..." Wen Tingguang wanted to say more, but the words caught in his throat.

Despite his intelligence, he is still just a boy, not a politician.

Yue Zhonglian took a deep breath. Even he resented his own powerlessness.

A father who can't even protect his own daughter... What kind of father is that?

"What arrogance!" Yue Tianqun sneered. "What right does he have to sit with the Cangqiong Sect? He's delusional!"

"Father, Brother Ling didn't mean any harm..." Yue Tengfeng wanted to step forward to comfort his father, but Yue Zhonglian stopped him with a raised hand.

"It's fine. He's not wrong, and neither am I."

Yue Zhonglian glanced at his daughter on the high platform, clenched his fists, and thought to himself:

Lan'er, I hope your fate won't be so tragic...

...

Ling Feng returned to his companions, and Gu Tengfeng gently patted him on the shoulder. "The Sect Leader has his reasons, too."

"I know," Ling Feng smiled faintly. "I'm just inexplicably angry and don't want to deal with it right now."

"

Hehe,

it's all for Miss Yue, isn't it?" Yu Sixian gave Ling Feng a thumbs-up. "Brother Feng, I'm impressed. You're willing to go to war for a beauty and even defy her father!"

"..."

Ling Feng glared at him. "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll cut off your tongue!"

"

Heh...

" Yu Sixian shrugged and slinked back into the crowd.

Mu Qianxue looked at Yue Yunlan on the high platform, and then at Ling Feng. She bit her lip, thinking to herself:

So, she's the one making Big Brother so anxious? Is she more important to him than I am?

Ling Feng, of course, didn't notice Mu Qianxue's thoughts. In fact, he was simply worried about his friend Yue Yunlan.

Whether that friendship was purely platonic, even Ling Feng himself wasn't sure.

"The Tianyang Empire's territory is largely desert, and its people are fierce. Compared to our Tianbai Empire, they are much more aggressive," Gu Tengfeng said with concern. "This time, the condition they set, only allowing martial artists below the Spiritual Element Realm to compete, is clearly aimed at preventing Yan Jinghong from taking action. Without him, our chances of winning aren't high."

Ling Feng glanced at the envoys from the Tianyang Empire. Indeed, they had many powerful experts. Even Feng Wuji, who had been humiliated by Jiang Biyi, was still a formidable opponent.

"Roll down!

Hahaha.

Tianbai Empire's cowards, have you spent all your strength on women? Why are your swords so weak?

Hahaha...

"

Amid their conversation, a genius from the Tianyang Empire had already knocked several young talents from the Tianbai Empire off the stage. Each time he did, he would insult them with vulgar taunts, enraging the youth of the Tianbai Empire.

"Look, Mu Ye from Hailan Academy is going up!"

In the crowd, a young man dressed in a deep blue robe drew his sword and leaped onto the stage. After several defeats, the true geniuses of the imperial capital's four major academies could no longer stand by. Mu Ye's appearance marked the start of their involvement.

"Master Mu, take down those Tianyang bastards!"

"

Hmph,

with the four academies' students taking action, let's see how long they can keep up their arrogance!"

The young talents of the imperial capital were thrilled, already believing that their side had won before the fight had even started.

But Ling Feng's eyes were focused on Yue Yunlan, and he silently vowed:

Don't worry, Miss Yue. I will never let you marry into the Tianyang Empire. Never!