Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

To his surprise, Yan Zaizen was placed in a chair. It was an odd sensation. It's not like he voluntarily gave up his free-will, but it was as if he just went with the flow of things. One second, he was curing a cousin for a skyship. The next second, he was engaged to a woman he never met.

However, the chair was pretty comfy.

He observed his surroundings, finding out he was in some lounge of some sorts, but it was very minimalistic like the grounds. Despite that, he could tell there was more than meets the eye. Everything, even this chair, was covered in formations of some sort. Perhaps that's why he felt so comfortable.

"Han Zaiji, correct?" An elegant middle-aged man slide into his vision, his eyes filled with an inquisitive gaze. It was Ying Fenmian. Yan Zaizen only nodded slightly, maintaining silence. It didn't take long before Ying Sumian walked in. Her expression when she looked at Yan Zaizen was incredibly guilty. She signaled with her eyes that she would explain everything later. However, Yan Zaizen didn't care about this.

"The skyship." His eyes focused on her.

"Oh?" Ying Fenmian was surprised hearing his words. He turned to Ying Sumian, his glance filled with questioning. Ying Sumian immediately explained.

"I promised him that he would receive the skyship in exchange." She said.

"I see." Ying Fenmian said, his expression a little solemn at her words. A skyship wasn't cheap. However, if what Ying Sumian said earlier was the truth — that this boy had comprehended a world law — then giving it up for him to be a part of their family would be small in comparison.

"Which world law have you comprehended?" A question he truly wanted to ask from the moment he heard it was finally asked. Yan Zaizen finally calmed down during this exchange, organizing his thoughts and looking towards Ying Fenmian. He had a feeling this man knew all Ying Sumian said was absolute bullshit. However, he didn't seem to care. If anything, he looked a little relieved.

"Wait! Wait! Explain, now!" He wasn't going to be schemed against or pulled along any longer. He demanded answers. What the hell just happened, and why did it happen? Was it even necessary?!

Ying Fenmian frowned.

Ying Sumian cleared her throat at Yan Zaizen's reaction. She immediately started explaining, "I apologize for this, Han Zaiji. The He Clan's designate — He Shijing — is trying to pressure our family to marry Ying Yimian to him by using the He Clan's forces. However, he already has three wives, and my cousin hates his guts. Thu-"

"Wait!" He sharply interrupted. "Why not just directly decline the proposal?"

Ying Sumian heaved a sigh, which was filled with resignation. "We couldn't. It's complex." She didn't even know where to start, but Ying Fenmian continued.

"If we declined their proposal, our clan would no longer exist." He said calmly, explaining it simply.

"What do you mean? I'm confused, why am I necessary? Why does it matter if I'm here, you're still under threat of clan annihilation if you decline, right?" To him, none of this made sense.

"Because if we have the backing of the Vanishing Fiend Sect, we couldn't be touched. So, you with your talent and background marrying into the family would remove all potential problems that may occur." Ying Sumian clarified.

Yan Zaizen thought they were out of their damn minds. Why would he agree to any of this even if his background and talent were sufficient?! Why not just marry your daughter to the He Clan. Things like this happen all the time; you don't always get to marry who you want.

Ya Qinqan.

His thoughts traveled back to the Yan Clan. He was in love with her, but he didn't know how she truly felt. He always held out some hope that she was waiting for him to explode forth with exceptional talent and they would live happily ever after. However, the clan allowed Yan Jinzen and her to marry. From what he knows, they've already consummated their marriage. To him, this was a humiliation he couldn't stand. He even wished she would rather end her life than lay with Yan Jinzen, only wanting and needing him alone.

He calmed down his disordered emotions after a while. He softly said, "My master, Han Genji, defected from the Vanishing Fiend Sect. I adopted his name as a replacement for now. I have no backing of one of the great sects." Every word contained a monotonous tone filled with brute honesty.

Ying Fenmian and Ying Sumian were shocked. Ying Fenmian turned towards Ying Sumian, seeing her shocked expression, and knowing that she deduced wrong. Close, but wrong. This made this entire situation more complicated.

"But...you met the Vanishing Fiend Sect's hunting party, and even met one of their valued members!" She tried to reason, but it seems like she was just reasoning with herself.

"She was simply a woman I knew due to my master. I asked her some questions, nothing more." He explained, shaking his head at this entire situation.

While she was panicking, Ying Fenmian was a lot calmer. He looked towards Yan Zaizen with a furrowed brow. One could see he was currently contemplating the entire situation. His eyes lit up in realization.

"What world law have you comprehended?" He asked this question once before but got no answer. Now that he was asking again, it seemed that Ying Sumian found a rope out of her panic. Yan Zaizen could only sigh.

"I've comprehended the life law."

Ying Fenmian's eyes lit up with brilliance. A concept developed from the life law would be considered in the upper-tier in conceptual world laws. The situation could definitely be scavenged. Not to mention even if his master was Han Genji, someone he knew was being executed shortly, it didn't matter. That was over at the Soaring Cloud Sect. Here, he was safe.

This could work.

"Are you willing to marry my daughter?" He asked.

"Absolutely not." Yan Zaizen responded.

"Why?"

"I don't know her. I also don't have my grandparents or parents permission to do so. I will never marry someone without it." He believed in being a filial child. Although he wouldn't mind having a gorgeous woman as a wife, he still had to speak to his parents grave to inform them beforehand until turned twenty, and even more so, he needed to get permission from his grandfather and grandmother. He was still a member of the Yan Clan, and likely to be its next lord when he returns.

He absolutely cannot decide his marriage himself. Not yet.

Ying Fenmian was surprised at this response. This boy was rather diligent in his duties as a child. He felt moved. "Do you have a problem with being declared as her fiancé by title only? At least till another solution is determined." He asked, settling for the next best thing. If he became his future son-in-law by title, then that could buy them time. Not to mention, someone who comprehended a world law would have to try really hard not to be a major character in the future, let alone an upper-tier conceptual world law.

"I do."

"...What if I give you the skyship?"

"DEAL!"