Chapter 155: An Engagement between Huang and Guo Family
Marshal Haotian was a Xiantian Second Order expert, and not an average second order expert at that, yet he was still unable to execute a swift win over Huang Xiaolong.
This was the scariest point of all!
Furthermore, what was Huang Xiaolong’s age? He would soon be seventeen after the New Year in ten days, right?!
Marshal Haotian was someone that had over a hundred years of cultivation experience!
Though Huang Xiaolong’s battle qi was still in the peak late-Tenth Order stage, if his battle qi also advanced into the Xiantian realm, it was possible that Marshal Haotian might not even be Huang Xiaolong’s opponent at that time!
On this day, Huang Xiaolong was training in the yard with Fei Hou and Marshal Haotian when his younger sister suddenly burst into the yard, calling Huang Xiaolong out.
“Big brother, Mom and Dad called for you at the main hall.” Huang Min said, and a peculiar blush tinged her cheeks after saying so.
“Calling me to the main hall? What’s the matter?” Huang Xiaolong felt it was odd watching his sister’s reaction, thus he asked.
Huang Min’s head bowed so low that the tip of her nose nearly touched her chest, “Guo Tai is here.”
“Guo Tai?” Huang Xiaolong was surprised, and then he chuckled; no wonder his little sister would come to call for him in person. Normally, his mother and father would send a servant to inform him if they were looking for him.
“Big brother, let’s go quickly, people have been waiting for half an hour in the main hall.” Huang Min stressed, and she swiftly dragged Huang Xiaolong by the hand towards the main hall.
Huang Xiaolong had a powerless expression on his face as he looked over at Fei Hou and Marshal Haotian, “Let’s end today’s sparring here, we’ll continue again tomorrow.”
“Yes, Young Lord!” Both of them acknowledged respectfully.
Huang Xiaolong walked to the main hall ‘led’ by Huang Min pulling him by the hand.
Even before he entered the main hall, the amiable laughter and the sounds of talking could be heard. Other than his parents and younger brother, Huang Xiaohai, there was a voice of a young man he had never heard before.
When Huang Xiaolong and Huang Min walked into the hall, everyone inside looked over in their direction. When the unfamiliar young man saw Huang Xiaolong, he practically jumped up from his seat. It was clear from his mannerisms that he was extremely nervous.
The young man had clean cut features, arched brows, and a rounded button nose; all in all, a dashing young man. When compared with Huang Xiaolong, that young man exuded a less dominant aura, more of one with gentlemanly elegance and refinement.
This young man was Guo Tai.
Guo Tai knew of Huang Xiaolong’s fame. When he first met Huang Min, he had no idea that Huang Min was Huang Xiaolong’s younger sister, and he did not deliberately have Huang Min’s identity and background investigated. Two months ago, Guo Tai was greatly shocked when Huang Min told him that her Big Bro was Tianxuan Mansion’s Huang Xiaolong.
Huang Xiaolong was Luo Tong Kingdom’s renowned number one monstrous genius that his father spoke of often, telling him to make Huang Xiaolong his goal.
Watching as Huang Xiaolong and Huang Min walked in, a clumsy and nervous Guo Tai quickly took a few steps forward, calling out: “Big brother!”
Guo Tai was actually the same age as Huang Xiaolong but he was younger by two months, so he followed Huang Min’s example and called Huang Xiaolong big brother.
Under normal circumstances, Guo Tai, as a member of one of Duanren Empire’s big families and grandson to the current Guo Family’s Patriarch, would not feel so nervous even when meeting a Duanren Empire’s Duke, but Huang Xiaolong was an exception.
This was because Huang Xiaolong was someone he worshipped.
Huang Xiaolong looked at Guo Tai, nodded slightly and said with a faint smile, “Take a seat.”
“Thanks Big brother.” Guo Tai returned to his seat.
Huang Xiaolong and Huang Min also sat down.
Huang Xiaolong’s seat was lateral to his parents’ seat whereas Huang Min sat in the seat next to Guo Tai.
Studying Guo Tai opposite of him, Huang Xiaolong nodded inwardly in satisfaction. From his first impression, the impression this Guo Tai gave him was not bad... at least he showed none of the noble children’s unwarranted proud arrogance and impudence.
The few of them continued to talk happily in the main hall with bouts of cheery laughter ringing out from time to time.
At first, Guo Tai acted a little reserved. However, as time wore on with the jokes and laughter, he gradually relaxed, but his respect and idolization towards Huang Xiaolong was evident in his words and actions.
“Big brother’s Academy competition some months ago, I was there with my father.” Guo Tai recalled enthusiastically, “After we came back, my father praised Big brother endlessly saying Big brother is truly a talented genius, and not even the Academy’s three inner courtyard Elders were his opponent!”
This brought laughter out from everyone.
Soon, it was time for lunch, and Guo Tai stayed to have a meal with the Huang Family. After lunch, Huang Min and Guo Tai went out together.
In the main hall, after the two of them had left, Huang Peng asked Huang Xiaolong, “Xiaolong, what do you think about Guo Tai?”
Although in Martial Spirit World, children’s marriages were decided by parents’, major decisions related to Tianxuan Mansion were mostly decided by Huang Xiaolong.
Huang Xiaolong laughed, “As long as the little girl is pleased.”
Since his little sister and Guo Tai mutually liked each other and Guo Tai himself was not a bad character, Huang Xiaolong would naturally not do something like splitting a pair of mandarin ducks [1].
Huang Peng and Su Yan exchanged a glance, and Su Yan said, “Then, in another few days, your father and I will accompany your sister to make a trip to the Guo Mansion to meet Guo Shiyuan. If Guo Shiyuan agrees, then we will set down this marriage!”
At the end of the year, Huang Min would turn sixteen. Being engaged at sixteen and married at eighteen was a usual practice in Martial Spirit World.
Huang Xiaolong nodded, “Mom and Dad can decide.”
After accompanying his parents for a while, Huang Xiaolong returned to his yard and continued to practice.
His internal force had advanced into the Xiantian level so he now needed to strive for his battle qi to break through to the Xiantian realm as soon as possible.
If his battle qi also broke through to the Xiantian realm, then Huang Xiaolong was confident he could take first place in Duanren Empire’s Imperial City Battle!
Duanren Institute’s new term started in the ninth month, and there were eight months until next year’s Imperial City Battle. Thus, Huang Xiaolong had eight months to further enhance himself before the Imperial City Battle.
Nine days came and went.
Once again, Tianxuan Mansion was basked in a festive mood with a flurry of activities. This year, there were many more joyful occasions that it had when compared to previous years.
Not only was it due to Huang Xiaolong being the overall Academy Champion, and the fact that he would be representing the Cosmic Star Academy in the Duanren Empire’s Imperial City Battle, but it was because Huang Min and Guo Tai’s marriage was set!
A few days ago, Huang Peng, Su Yan, and Huang Min paid a visit to Guo Shiyuan at the Guo Mansion. Guo Shiyuan was delighted, thus Huang Peng and Guo Shiyuan had their children’s wedding set down.
Listening to the cheerful hustle and bustle up and down Tianxuan Mansion, Huang Xiaolong did not practice like he usually did.
In roughly ten days, Yu Ming and Zhao Shu would arrive in Luo Tong Royal City. At that time, he would be journeying to Duanren Empire, and when passing by Baolong Kingdom, Huang Xiaolong decided to first annihilate the Big Sword Sect, Martial Ning Family, and Clear Cloud Pavilion!
On the other hand, after Huang Xiaolong injured Xie Wei and the other two people, the Elders had a meeting and all three people’s Elder position were removed. Even though this happened, there was no reaction from Prime Minister Wu Feng’s side.
“I hope Wu Feng, that old fogey, has tact.” Huang Xiaolong hoped. If that old fogey deliberately provoked him again, he didn’t mind first squashing Wu Feng before destroying Big Sword Sect.
The New Year had finally arrived.
Auspicious snow[2] fell.
Sounds of laughter could be heard coming from every corner of the Tianxuan Mansion.
On the First Day of New Year, the Huang Family visited the Guo Mansion. Originally, Huang Xiaolong did not plan to go, but Huang Min pestered him so he had no choice but to comply.
The Huang Family’s arrival was warmly received by the pair of father and son, Guo Shiyuan and Guo Tai, especially towards Huang Xiaolong, causing Huang Xiaolong to feel somewhat awkward and uncomfortable.
There was a reason why Guo Shiyuan agreed to the marriage between his son and Huang Min. At the moment, the Huang Family’s status may not be on par with their Guo Family, but he valued Huang Xiaolong. With Huang Xiaolong’s talent, he would absolutely be a great character of Duanren Empire in the future.
Note:
[1] Pair of mandarin ducks – lovebirds/lovers.
[2] Auspicious Snow- also first snow/timely snow.