The patriarch's study was at the center of the estate, a simple but imposing building made of unadorned ironwood. Two guards stood by the door, both at the Peak of Foundation Establishment. They bowed silently and opened the heavy doors for me.
Inside, the air felt thick with tension. It carried the weight of a Nascent Soul expert's presence. My father, Chen Tianyuan, sat behind a large wooden desk. He was the Patriarch of the Chen Family, an Initial Stage Nascent Soul cultivator, and one of the most powerful men in the Myriad Rivers Domain. In person, he looked less like a supreme expert and more like a middle-aged man bearing a heavy load. The lines on his face were deeper than I remembered from the original Arya's memories.
"You've come, Arya," he said, his voice low and steady. He gestured to the chair in front of him. "Sit."
I followed his instruction, bowing respectfully. "Father."
He regarded me for a long moment, a flicker of pride shining in his tired eyes. "Initial Stage of the Golden Core realm at twenty-one. You've broken the family record by a full decade. You are the greatest hope the Chen Family has had in five hundred years."
I played my part. "I only hope to meet the family's expectations and not let you down, Father."
The pride in his eyes faded, replaced by a familiar weariness. He sighed heavily, burdened with unspoken concerns. "Your talent is a blessing, but I worry that the times we live in may hinder its growth. The family is facing challenges."
He began, "The Jin Family has become increasingly aggressive. For the past six months, they've been using their vast wealth to cut our prices on the main river trade routes. They are operating at a loss, a tactic aimed solely at draining us dry. Additionally, they are buying up our long-term suppliers of common spiritual herbs, forcing us to pay outrageous prices on the open market."
This aligned perfectly with the novel's prelude. The Jin Family, though the weakest of the noble families in terms of top-tier experts, were shrewd merchants. Their weapon was the spirit stone.
"The Spirit Cauldron Sect has also made its move," he continued, his brow furrowed. "They have subtly limited the sale of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cauldron ingredients to us. They claim shortages, but we know the truth. They view our alchemy as a threat to their hold on the mass-produced pill market. They want to squeeze us out."
The combination of these pressures acted like a slow poison. Our profits were dwindling, our resources were stretched thin, and the other powers within the Jade River Alliance were beginning to take notice. Loyalty, in this world, is something sold to the highest bidder.
"Our most stable and loyal ally," my father said, looking directly at me, "has always been the Su Family. Their ability to cultivate rare spiritual herbs is unmatched, and our families have been bound by pacts for centuries."
He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle in the room. "Pacts and promises are not enough in these times. We need a bond of blood. I have held private talks with Patriarch Su. He has agreed to a marriage alliance to strengthen our two families against these rising threats."
My mind went blank. I knew what was coming, but hearing it said aloud was different.
"He proposes a marriage," my father stated, "between you and his eldest daughter, Meira Su."
The name hit me like a physical blow. Meira Su. Not Su Lian. Meira.
My thoughts spun from the proposal. According to the plot of Alchemist Sovereign, today, the Chen and Su patriarchs were supposed to discuss a marriage alliance. But the name in the book was Su Lian. This was the first clear break from the script. A wave of unsettling uncertainty washed over me. This was a real world, with real people making their own choices. Maybe in this reality, the patriarchs were wiser. Perhaps the original Arya's childhood friendship with Meira held more significance than the novel suggested.
In the book, the original Arya would have rejected this proposal or at least stalled indefinitely. He would have seen it as a political move, an unwelcome distraction from his cultivation.
The plot had a darker path laid out for him. In a few weeks, he would meet Su Lian for the first time at a banquet. He would be enchanted by her beauty and charm. She, aware of the rumors of his childhood rescue, would have subtly hinted that she was the mysterious girl who saved him from the Shadowfang Wolf. The original Arya would have fallen for the lie entirely. That lie would turn into an infatuation, a misguided devotion that would lead him to pursue her hand in marriage, blind to the trap laid out for him.
But that was the path of a fool. The proposal before me was for Meira Su. The talented girl who had been my childhood friend. The one who truly saved the original Arya. The woman who loved him quietly, her heart breaking as she watched him walk toward a fate she was powerless to prevent. She had tried to warn him, only to be brushed aside.
And I remembered her fate. A warrior of incredible strength, a heroine who emerged from the shadows to avenge the man she loved. She had fought Jin Hao to a standstill, an impressive feat. She could have won. She could have killed the protagonist. But then came the betrayal. Her own sister stabbed her in the back. She died, her last expression one of shocked disbelief, her love and sacrifice unknown to the world.
She deserved a better ending.
Strategically, the alliance made perfect sense. The Su Family's loyalty was proven in the original story. Their resources were crucial. A blood bond would be a strong deterrent to our enemies. Emotionally, a strange feeling stirred within me. It was a true respect for her character from the book. She was strong, loyal, and true. A sharp contrast to the vipers and fools in the rest of the story.
To the transmigrator, she was a valuable asset. To the reader I had been, she was a character I genuinely felt pity and admiration for.
My father watched me, likely expecting hesitation or protest. A cultivator's path is often a selfish one, and marriage is usually seen as a distraction.
But I was not the original Arya.
"I understand, Father," I said, my voice calm and steady. "The family's stability is crucial. Forming a strong bond with the Su Family is the best course of action."
My father's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He had clearly prepared arguments.
I continued, looking him squarely in the eye. "Meira is a woman of great character and talent. I have known her since we were children. There is no one I would trust more to stand with our family. I agree to the marriage."
A genuine smile broke across Chen Tianyuan's face. The weariness seemed to lift from his shoulders, if only for a moment. "Good," he said, relief clear in his voice. "Excellent. This will send a strong message to the Jin Family and others. I will send a formal reply to Patriarch Su right away. We will arrange a meeting for you two soon to discuss the engagement."
"I will await your arrangements," I replied, bowing my head respectfully.