Clan Leader Samuel

"Your proposal sounds beneficial, Alden." Samuel said in a calm tone.

"Haha, of course! This way, we'll be tied in marriage and our future finances will skyrocket." Alden boisterously said.

"What do you think, Stella?" Samuel asked his wife.

Stella looked mostly like Shery, but exhibited a more mature and a regal aura. She simply looked at Samuel and replied, "Have you asked our daughter first?"

Samuel waved his hand, "She'll understand us."

"Good afternoon, Father, Mother!"

At this time, Shery suddenly approached the table and greeted her parents.

"Good afternoon, Master Alden."

She didn't forget to greet the Shine Association's leader.

"Sit down, Shery." Samuel beckoned her to sit. Shery nodded and sat right next to her mother.

"Great, she's here! Young Shery, what do you think about my son?" Alden went straight to the point.

Stella slightly frowned and glanced at her husband, who didn't say anything, tacitly acknowledging Alden's approach.

Shery was slightly stunned at the question directed at her but quickly regained her composure. She subtly glanced at the young boy sitting next to Master Alden. He had features that resembled the stoic look of his father. With long golden hair and a pair of hazel eyes, he did strike quite a pleasing image.

Shery respectfully answered, "He is quite handsome and possesses Master Alden's demeanour."

Belric let out a loose smile and said, "Thank you, Shery."

Shery slightly nodded and asked in confusion, "Why do you ask, Master Alden?"

"I'll let your father answer that." Alden eyes Samuel.

Samuel nodded and looked at Shery, "The Shine Association has come to us with a proposal. We have decided to open a joint artifact pavilion and to further link the Scarlet Clan and the Shine Association, Alden and I have arranged a marriage between you and Belric."

Shery was stunned to say the least. This wasn't what she was expecting after coming back to her home. She just blankly looked at her father.

Stella sighed at the fact that Samuel had already accepted the Shine Association's proposal just from the wordings of his statement.

"Samuel…" Stella muttered in disappointment. She couldn't do anything since she was weak as a mortal and even if she could, she knew that her husband would not give it a second thought.

In the corner of the meeting hall, Bryan, Ray and Ash had their ears perked up, listening to their entire conversation.

*Sigh*

Ray sighed, "Anything for benefits, huh…"

"This is why I didn't want us to meddle with their business. After hearing that, what do you think Ash is gonna do?" Bryan rubbed his eyebrow in annoyance.

Ash narrowed his eyebrows at Shery's situation. He observed that Shery didn't want to accept the marriage proposal. Just based on her facial expression, he knew she was in a dilemma.

Shery wanted to reject the marriage proposal but she knew that her decision would greatly disappoint her father and anger Master Alden, much less Belric who would feel like he was dumped in the trashcan.

"What do you say, Shery?" Samuel lightly smiled at Shery.

Shery closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She then unwaveringly replied with resolute eyes and a clear tone, "Belric, please understand that I mean no offense to what I'm about to say. I know that you truly don't love me and the same can be said for me. Considering our future lives, shouldn't we have a say in it?"

"I'm sorry, father but I refuse to partake in the marriage."

Instantly, the atmosphere dropped to a considerable degree. Samuel had a dark look on his face and Master Alden was expressionless, not displaying his thoughts.

'I'm proud of you, Shery…' Shery's mother, Stella was staring at her with bright eyes. If worst comes to worse, then she'll step in for the sake of her daughter.

Belric, on the other hand, slightly frowned with imperceptible eyes. He had a few thoughts plaguing his mind.

*Sigh*

"I wasn't expecting this from you, Shery." Samuel said in a disappointed tone.

"Nevertheless, you have no choice in this matter. Since, Alden and I have already come to an agreement, you have to follow the arrangement." Samuel sternly instructed her.

Shery bit her lips and refuted, "You can't contr-"

"Enough!" Samuel raised his hand and interrupted her with a frigid tone.

"Samuel!" Stella called out to her husband.

"Hm?" Samuel shifted his attention to his wife.

"How can you do this to your daughter?" Stella criticized him.

"It's for her own good. She'll realize it soon enough." Samuel said as a matter of fact.

"But-"

"Stop it, Stella. I won't have any more arguments." Samuel cut off Stella.

Shery simply sat with her head drooped down in defeat. She wasn't expecting her life to change in this way.

Master Alden suddenly smiled and chuckled, "Haha, seems like our agreement will come to fruition, Samuel."

Samuel nodded with a gleam on his eye.

"Belric, pay respect to your future-"

"What a load of absolute bullshit!"

"Here we go…"

"Again..."

A mocking voice suddenly sounded out from the corner of the meeting hall, interrupting the family's conversation.

Every individual on the table turned their attention towards the three striking and unique young men that stopped a few feet away from the table.

Apart from the family individuals on the table, the only other person in the meeting hall was the butler who didn't stop the young men for unknown reasons.

"Who are you and how did you three get here?" Samuel asked in a frigid tone.

Shery widened her eyes at the three. She didn't understand why they would step up. Soon though, she panicked because she knew that they wouldn't stand a chance against her family.

"Who are we? It's simple, we're Shery's friends and she brought us here." Ash replied without an ounce of respect.

Samuel noticed the blatant disrespect and a threatening aura leaked out of his body. He is the leader of the famed Scarlet Clan of the Celana City. No one young has ever dared to disrespect him like that.

"I'm sorry but we had to interrupt your 'pleasant' conversation. We three had no choice from the amount of bullshit we were witnessing." Ash shrugged.

"Leave."

"Now."

Samuel didn't care and ordered them with two simple words to get out of his house.

"Hey hey, why don't you relax? You're the great leader of the Scarlet Clan so, you need to act like one and keep your ears open." Ash shook his head.

"This guy…" Ray had a wry smile on his face.

*Creak*

Suddenly, a powerful aura pressed down on the three, creaking the floor. Despite the aura pushing down on them, the three had nonchalant expressions on their face as if the aura was non-existent to them.

'Huh?'

Samuel cocked his eyebrow in slight surprise. Being the leader of a major power in the Celana City, one must have a powerful cultivation to have a say in the city. So, it was unexpected to see them act like nothing under his powerful aura.

"Interesting!" Master Alden looked on with entertainment.

"To hold on for so long, you three have some skills…" Samuel nodded in praise but that was it.

"I don't care about your compliments and such. What I do care is seeing a father selling his daughter for some superficial benefits. Now, that's what I call being an asshole." Ash didn't care and spoke his true thoughts.

Bryan and Ray narrowed their eyes and focused their attention on Samuel for any sudden moves.

Samuel suddenly chuckled and shook his head, "Words coming from a weak person means nothing in front of me. Will anyone say anything if you three suddenly disappear from this world?"

"Hahahahahaha!" Ash laughed out loud.

"The fact that you resorted to power simply proves me right. You know you have nothing to say to being an asshole. Whatever you do doesn't change the fact that you're a complete asshole and you don't deserve to be a father." Ash retorted.

Samuel slowly stood up from his seat and walked in front of Ash. Shery wanted to get up but she was bound to the seat and realized it was her father's doing.

"Do you have any last words?" Samuel said with a cold tone.

"Wait, let me wear something." Ash smirked before he pulled out the purple robe from the system's inventory and wore it.

"Smart move." Bryan nodded.

In a flash, Ray and Bryan did the same and now all three of them were wearing the purple robes.

"Do you recognize the purple robes?" Ash asked Samuel with a smug smile.

Samuel's eyes instantly constricted with immense shock. Celana City is under the direct control of the Celestial Nirvana Sect, so he knows very well about the customs and hierarchy of the sect. Especially, the purple robes worn by the three young men in front of him.

There was a distinct golden-coloured badge resembling the Celestial Nirvana Sect's emblem engraved onto the purple robes, signifying their status in the sect.

Master Alden trembled with astonishment and hurriedly stood up. The others were confused to say the least since they had no clue what the purple robe represented.

Samuel simply stood with thousands of thoughts flashing through his eyes.

Master Alden came forward and greeted the three with respect, "I greet the Prime Disciples."

This sent an explosion in the minds of the others sitting on the table. Prime Disciples, the elite of the elites, the leading and treasured disciples of the Celestial Nirvana Sect were now standing in front of them.

Shery's eyes were filled with awe and amazement. She didn't expect the three random young men she had invited were in fact, Prime Disciples of the world's most powerful and famous sect.

Samuel had numerous thoughts of whether they were impostors or not but nobody in the world could replicate the emblem apart from the sect. If anyone tried to replicate the emblem without their permission, it would mysteriously notify the sect and fearful actions would be taken in response.

So, no one would dare to replicate the emblem and incur the wrath of the Celestial Nirvana Sect. It was simply a death sentence.

"I greet the Prime Disciples." Samuel immediately knew he was in a stump and greeted them.

Ray stepped forward and said, "Thank you for your kind greetings. We stepped forward simply because we have witnessed injustice. Clan Leader Samuel, listen to your daughter and her wishes on the account that she is our friend."

"We are not here to cause any trouble but let me give you a piece of advice."

"You will never know what you have until you lose it and once you lose it, you can never get it back until you regret it."

Samuel was stunned and his eyes were cloudy. To think he would be moved to such a degree from the words of a young man.

Master Alden stared at Ray with deep eyes and said to Samuel, "Samuel, let's cancel the agreement."

Samuel looked at Master Alden and replied with acceptance, "I agree. Hence forth, the agreement between the Shine Association and the Scarlet Clan shall be cancelled."

Samuel's official declaration brought tears in Shery's eyes and Stella was beyond happy for her daughter. She stood up and brought Shery next to her husband.

"Shery, hurry up and thank your friends." Stella emphasized on the word 'friend'.

Shery was still reeling in shock and the tears in her eyes portrayed a funny look.

"Thank you for helping me." She bowed in joy.

Ash waved his hands and happily said, "Don't worry, Shery. We just couldn't sit back, watch and do nothing."

Shery brightly smiled in response, magically illuminating the atmosphere. Samuel witnessed how his daughter was feeling and for the first time in his life, his heart was shaken. It should be noted that the marriage between Samuel and Stella was an arranged one.

"Alright, my job here is done." Ash said, while feeling proud of himself.

"Thank you for having us, Master Alden and Clan Leader Samuel. We shall not disturb you any further and take our leave."

Just like that, the three left the Scarlet Clan's residence and went on their way to the sect, leaving a small pebble in the ocean.