Chapter 602 - 202: Yunqiao Jade Marrow, Advancing by Leaps and Bounds

As Hong Qingzhu listened to her father’s grave words, her expression changed in an instant. The color drained from her tear-stained cheeks, leaving her face as pale as a sheet of paper.

She had been doted on by the Hong Family since childhood, growing up to believe they were the undisputed top family in Jintai Prefecture, their foundation unshakable and beyond compare.

And as the Patriarch’s most beloved daughter, she was like the princess of Jintai Prefecture itself, living a life utterly free of worries, never knowing the meaning of hardship.

But her father’s words today were like a sledgehammer, shattering her entire perception of the world. For the first time, she realized that the seemingly mighty Hong Family was actually teetering on the brink of disaster, shrouded in the shadow of an impending storm.

At the side, the Hong Family Grand Elder’s fingers tightened slightly around his teacup. He sighed inwardly, feeling a deep resonance with the Patriarch’s words.

The higher one stood in the family’s hierarchy, the more keenly one could feel the absolute dominance of the five great sects and the perilous situation the Hong Family now faced.

Both Patriarch Hong Shixian and he himself walked on thin ice every single day. They appeared to hold great power and a revered status, but in reality, they were constantly on tenterhooks, terrified that a single misstep would bring ruin upon their family.

Only the younger generation, raised in a gilded cage, would be naive enough to believe the Hong Family was a mighty, towering tree that could never fall.

They had no idea that in the face of the five great sects, the Hong Family was nothing more than a sapling that could be toppled by a single gust of wind.

Hong Shixian looked at his daughter’s shocked expression, his tone still grave. "Yang Jing is a prodigy highly valued by the Xuanzhen Sect. With his talent, he is certain to rise to the Sect’s highest echelons in the future, and may even have a chance to break through to a higher realm.

"If we can secure a marriage alliance with him, our Hong Family can gain the backing of the Xuanzhen Sect. With their protection and support, our position in Jintai Prefecture will be much more stable. We will no longer have to fear the meddling of the Lin and Su Families, and we’ll be better equipped to counter the Prefectural Magistrate’s hidden schemes."

He concluded dispassionately, "Therefore, marrying Yang Jing means you will have a husband with a limitless future, and for our Hong Family, it is a lifeline in desperate times. This arrangement brings immense benefits to both you and the family."

He hadn’t wanted to be so blunt about the family’s plight and the cruel reality of the marriage alliance. But he had spoiled his daughter so thoroughly that she even looked down on a prodigy like Yang Jing, refusing the marriage at all costs. He had no choice but to rip away the gentle facade and force her to see the truth.

Hong Qingzhu’s expression wavered. Her lips trembled as she tried to make one last stand. "Grandfather and you, Father, are both Pill Realm experts. With you here, the Hong Family should be untouchable. Why must we rely on a marriage alliance for protection?"

"Naive! Ignorant!" Hong Shixian scoffed, his voice laced with disappointment. "What do you think a Pill Realm expert is? Do you think breaking through to the Pill Realm makes one invincible? If Pill Realm experts were enough to guarantee a family’s safety, why would the Hong, Su, and Lin Families have to bow and scrape before the five great sects, yielding to them at every turn?

"The five great sects have numerous Pill Realm experts. For them, annihilating a family like ours would be as easy as snapping their fingers!"

Scolded into silence by her father, Hong Qingzhu’s lips trembled. In the end, all she could manage to say was, "But... but I really don’t want an arranged marriage..."

BANG!

A loud crash echoed through the hall. Hong Shixian had slammed his hand on the mahogany table beside him, sending the teacup flying. Scalding hot tea splashed across the tabletop.

He shot to his feet, his tall frame radiating an intense, oppressive aura as he glared down at Hong Qingzhu.

Hong Qingzhu flinched at the sudden outburst, her body trembling. Her face grew even paler, her eyes filled with terror.

In her memory, her father had always been gentle and doting. He had never been this furious, and he had certainly never looked at her with such a stern expression.

Hong Shixian stared at her coldly and bellowed, "Hong Qingzhu! I want you to think long and hard. What kind of life have you been living all these years?

"When you wanted to go shopping, you had carriages and a whole retinue of servants at your beck and call.

"When you wanted to travel for pleasure, you had guards to escort you and clear the way.

"Even when you refused to cultivate diligently, the family delivered the finest Elixirs and resources right to your doorstep for you to use.

"When you wanted to hunt, we could dispatch men to surround an entire forest, all for your amusement!"

His voice grew louder and heavier with each word, booming like thunder through the hall. Hong Qingzhu’s face grew paler and paler, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"You have enjoyed all the glory and wealth the Hong Family provided. Do you have any idea how many of our resources you’ve consumed? What right do you have to enjoy all of this for free?"

Hong Shixian’s furious roar was almost deafening. "The family raised you and gave you a life of privilege, not so you could become a parasite who does nothing but take!

"For every benefit you’ve enjoyed, you are expected to contribute back to the family! Do you think that just because you’re my daughter, you can leech off everyone else in this family?!"

Hong Qingzhu was stunned by her father’s words. Her tears stopped, and her eyes filled with a lost and helpless expression.

She had never considered any of this before. She had always taken it all for granted. But now, as her father laid everything out in detail, she thought it over and instantly understood.

She wasn’t a fool. On the contrary, she was quite sharp and perceptive. It was just that she had been blinded by a lifetime of pampering and had never once stopped to consider her relationship with and responsibility to her family.

"No... I never wanted to be a leech..." She shook her head quickly, her voice barely a whisper.

Hong Shixian’s gaze remained icy, his tone showing no sign of softening. "I know that boy from Bishui Palace, Xu Hong, fawns over you. I know you two are close. But let me make this clear: in terms of talent, background, and future prospects, he and Yang Jing are worlds apart. You will sever all ties with him. Immediately!"