A forced kiss

In the dimly lit chamber of the Lin family, one of the prominent clans in Yuanshan County, a palpable tension hung thick in the air.

"I'm not happy, but I like you, and I want to marry you!" Xiao Yuran declared with unwavering determination etched across her youthful face.

Su Han couldn't help but display a hint of bemusement as he responded, "You like me? Just because I saved you once, you've fallen for me?"

"Yes!" Xiao Yuran nodded firmly, her head tilted slightly in thought. Then, she added, "It might be because you saved me, but it could also be love at first sight. Even if you hadn't saved me, I might still have fallen for you."

Su Han mused, "Perhaps there's some truth to that..."

With a smug grin, Xiao Yuran chimed in, "What I, Miss Ben, said is absolutely true!"

Su Han waved his hand dismissively, his mind preoccupied with other matters. "Let's discuss this later. It's not the best time for love talk right after my rebirth."

"But, little Su Han, you're two years younger than my sister and a year younger than me. You still have to address me as 'sister'!" Xiao Yuran implored, clearly reluctant to let the matter go.

"Alright, my dear sister Xiao Yuran, please return home quickly and don't obstruct my path any further," Su Han acquiesced.

"But... You're so powerful now, and there must be many girls who admire you. If I don't seize this opportunity, you might marry someone else!" Xiao Yuran spoke softly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Su Han shook his head, a sense of helplessness creeping in. "Whether I marry you or not has nothing to do with how formidable I become."

Xiao Yuran's eyes welled up, and she continued, "How can it not matter? I can't even cultivate, and you'll only become more powerful. The gap between us will keep widening..."

"Are you really crying?" Su Han asked, taken aback by Xiao Yuran's sudden emotional display.

Gazing upon Xiao Yuran's pitiful yet endearing demeanor, Su Han couldn't help but believe her tears were genuine.

If Xiao Yuran were as domineering as her sister Xiao Yuhui, pressuring him into marriage, Su Han might have reacted differently. But her innocence and vulnerability tugged at his heartstrings.

"I'll help you with your cultivation," Su Han declared suddenly.

Xiao Yuran hesitated for a moment, then shook her head sadly. "I was born unable to cultivate. I don't possess any dragon veins, and I'm considered a worthless outcast. Even the most powerful individuals in Longwu Continent can't assist me."

Su Han scoffed, his confidence unwavering. "The strongest in Longwu Continent? They're nothing! You may not have dragon veins, but your physique surpasses those on this continent. By stimulating your physique, you can bypass dragon veins and reach the Dragon Blood Realm directly!"

"Really?" Xiao Yuran's eyes widened with hope. "Su Han, you're not deceiving me, are you?"

"My name is Su Han. Don't call me 'little,'" he retorted, rolling his eyes.

Giggling, Xiao Yuran responded, "Hehe, little Su Han, you're a year younger than me. If you can genuinely help me unlock my incredible physique, I'll marry you!"

Xiao Yuran's use of three 'very's in a row made Su Han want to toss her a thousand miles away.

"How about this," Su Han proposed, "Go back to the Xiao family and have them locate four items for you: the Demon Spirit Flower, the Morning Dew of Sanctity, the Ice Soul, and Dragon Blood."

While these items might be somewhat insufficient to unlock Xiao Yuran's potential, given her unique physique, it was the best option within the constraints of Longwu Continent.

"What are these things?" Xiao Yuran inquired, her large eyes filled with curiosity.

"These items can help stimulate your physique, and then you'll see the truth in my words," Su Han explained.

"Regardless of whether you're telling the truth or not, my sister will reward you first!" Xiao Yuran declared with enthusiasm.

Bounding up to Su Han, before he could react, she planted a soft, sweet kiss on his lips. The subtle fragrance lingered as she drew away, leaving Su Han in a state of astonishment.

Su Han struggled to find the right words. "You... you just kissed me?"

With a mischievous grin, Xiao Yuran replied, "Well, I do like you, and I might as well be the first girl to kiss you. You'll have to take responsibility for me now!"

"Take responsibility for your sister? You forced me into that kiss!" Su Han protested, rolling his eyes.

"I don't care," Xiao Yuran replied with a determined air, her hands behind her back as she skipped away. "Xiao Suhan, I won't pester you anymore. I'll do my best to find those four things you mentioned. After all, I, Xiao Yuran, am your future wife!"

Her voice faded into the distance, leaving Su Han staring after her with a mixture of amusement and bewilderment.

...

Wanbao Pavilion proved remarkably efficient. By the time Su Han returned to the Su family, they had already delivered all the materials he had purchased, sending them directly to his room.

Many members of the Su family observed this, suspecting that Su Han had embezzled the family's resources. Upon investigation, however, it was confirmed that not a single penny was missing, affirming that the materials were purchased with Su Han's own funds.

Su Han had anticipated this reaction and didn't let it bother him.

"These materials are sufficient for several days of refining," Su Han remarked to himself. He decided to postpone their use and, instead, retrieved ten bottles of pills.

"I'll start with these pills to open more meridians. Once my dragon energy increases, I can make full use of these materials."

...

Meanwhile, in the Lin family's hall, one of Yuanshan County's four major clans, a heavy atmosphere of foreboding lingered.

"Heng'er, my son!!!"

Lin Chengsong, the patriarch of the Lin family, stood with bloodshot eyes, his gaze fixed on the lifeless body of his son, Lin Heng. His demeanor exuded a lethal mixture of anger and despair.

"Who's responsible for this?! Who dares to do such a thing?!!!" Lin Chengsong's voice thundered throughout the hall.

"It was Su Han," one of the attendants who had guarded Lin Heng finally spoke, his voice trembling. He had witnessed Su Han's brutal act of killing Lin Heng right before his eyes. The guilt of failing to protect his charge gnawed at him.

Lin Chengsong's rage flared even higher. "Su Han? That talentless cultivator? He managed to kill Heng'er? And where were all of you? Why didn't you stop him? Why didn't you protect my son?!!!" His voice reverberated through the hall, instilling fear in all who heard it.

The attendant stammered, "We... we underestimated Su Han, Lord Lin.

 He... he displayed unimaginable power."

"Unimaginable power? From a worthless cultivator?" Lin Chengsong scoffed, his disbelief transforming into rage. "Find Su Han, and I want him dead! No one, absolutely no one, takes my son's life and lives to tell the tale!"

The Lin family hall was now consumed by a tempest of fury and vengeance as they set their sights on hunting down the audacious individual who had dared to challenge their clan's honor and claim the life of Lin Heng.