Ming Zhitian waved his hand, "I didn't mean that."
Hua Ruhua said, "Young Master Ming, my sister already approves of you. Don't you know she's been praying to the heavens?"
Ming Zhitian asked, confused, "Why would you suddenly want me to pray? Is it the first of the month?"
Hua Ruhua felt speechless. Hua Ruxian said, "Stop playing coy. We're just waiting for your word – will you marry me or not?"
Ming Zhitian replied, "I will not marry."
Hua Ruxian was somewhat annoyed. "Do you know no one has ever refused me, Hua Ruxian? If I want the stars from the sky, someone will pluck them for me. If I want the moon, there will be those who rush to get it for me. If I want the empire, the powerful will dedicate their all to me."
Ming Zhitian said, "Oh, I can't do that."
Hua Ruxian was furious. Hua Ruhua held her back, finding Ming Zhitian quite interesting.
Ming Zhitian took a deep breath. "Are you two done talking? If so, please leave. I need to get back to my cultivation. I won't see you out."
Hua Ruxian produced a long box and handed it to him. "Open it."
Ming Zhitian took it and cautiously opened it, wary of traps. "This is… an axe?"
Hua Ruxian said, "This Peerless Battle Axe. Keep it. Take it."
Ming Zhitian glanced at them. He figured if he didn't accept it, they would be relentless. He then put it into his storage pouch.
"Alright, I've accepted it. Can you leave now?"
Hua Ruxian blinked her beautiful eyes. "Since you've accepted our betrothal gifts, you are now our husband."
Hua Ruhua chuckled. Ming Zhitian was taken aback. "Is this considered forced purchase?"
Hua Ruxian snorted. "Do you think I'm willing to marry you? If it weren't for our master's request, would we stoop to you? After marriage, we'll have three rules. One, we shall not interfere with each other's lives. Two, you must be available whenever called upon, as our Hua family has a vast enterprise. Three, I haven't thought of it yet, but you must comply with whatever I come up with."
Looking at the woman before him speaking with such arrogance and unquestionable tone, Ming Zhitian said, "I agree to none of your conditions. I advise you to disappear before I get angry. Don't think I won't hit you just because you're a woman."
Hua Ruxian instinctively took a step back. This was the first time she had heard such novel words in her life.
She looked to Hua Ruhua, "He said... he wants to hit me?"
Hua Ruhua stuck out her tongue. "Sister, don't you think he's very manly?"
Hua Ruxian flicked her forehead. "Manly, my foot!"
"This is infuriating!..."
Just as Hua Ruxian was about to teach Ming Zhitian a lesson...
"Bad news! Bad news!"
Yin Fu rushed over, panting. "Bad news, Brother Zhitian, you're finished!"
Ming Zhitian asked, confused, "Why are you out of breath? As a cultivator, can't you teleport?"
Yin Fu froze for a moment. "It's an emergency, I forgot. This is not the time for that. You need to run!"
Ming Zhitian asked, "What exactly happened?"
Yin Fu said solemnly, "Did you dig up ancestral graves in the cemetery?"
Ming Zhitian looked at the puppets behind him. "Yes, sort of."
Yin Fu exclaimed, "Brother Zhitian, what can I say? All thirty great families and fifty smaller families in Thousand Cities are coming to surround and annihilate you. You must flee, as far as possible!"
Hua Ruxian and Hua Ruhua were stunned. "He actually dug up ancestral graves?"
Hua Ruxian asked, "Are you desperate for money?"
Ming Zhitian looked at her. "What do you mean?"