Chen Beiyuan was not surprised that the imperial family wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Chen family.
As the leaders of the Imperial military, the Chen family of Donghua holds the most powerful military force. It would be strange if the Imperial royal family didn't have any ambitions towards them!
In fact, aside from the imperial family, which of the top aristocratic families at the time wouldn't want to form a marriage alliance with the Chen family?!
Putting everything else aside, based on the talent Chen Beiyuan displayed at the time, he was destined to become an eighth-grade Battle Emperor in the future.
The position of head of the Donghua Chen family was also pre-selected.
Once the marriage is successful, their daughter will essentially become the matriarch of the Chen family.
Who wouldn't be tempted?!
However, Chen Beiyuan was unaware of why Old Master Chen did not agree to the marriage alliance with the imperial family and instead chose the one from the Bai family of Donghua.
After all, this point is not mentioned in detail even in the original work.
To find out the truth, we'll probably have to ask the old man ourselves.
Of course, Chen Zheqing, as the head of the Chen family, probably also knew some things.
In contrast, it was he, the "person involved," who unknowingly gained a fiancée.
"By the way, my fiancée seems to be eight years older than me. Isn't this a case of an older woman dating a younger man?"
As Chen Beiyuan recalled his childhood memories, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
Six years ago, he broke through to the fourth-rank warrior level. At the age of twelve, he had just finished his tedious and boring cultivation. Bored, he was wandering around with a little black dog when he happened to run into a pair of long legs.
Looking up, I saw a beautiful, fair-skinned woman with long legs, exuding a mature and sophisticated aura...
The other person was looking down at him from a superior position, carrying a weapon and exuding immense pressure. They scrutinized him closely, a faint smile on their face, and it seemed they even licked their red lips...
One is a cute twelve-year-old boy, and the other is a twenty-year-old woman.
Not only were they eight years apart in age, but Chen Beiyuan was also much shorter than the other man, having to look up at him.
That was their first meeting.
The "older sister" smiled, reached out and patted his head, and gave him a lollipop...
When the two first met, Grandpa Chen and Grandpa Bai were watching from a distance, muttering to each other, and it was unclear what they were saying.
However, at the time, Chen Beiyuan was only thinking about taking the little black dog for a walk and didn't think much about anything else.
I vaguely remember that the lollipop was quite sweet and delicious...
"Kids are easily bribed with just a lollipop. They really are easy to please."
"However, my 'fiancée' seems to be one of the heroines of this world, and in terms of abilities, she has some way to counter me, the destined villain!"
Just as Chen Beiyuan lowered his eyes and fell into thought.
Sitting behind her desk, Jiang Baiyi had almost finished processing the files and documents in her hands, and simply put them aside.
Its subtle sound also pulled Chen Beiyuan back to reality.
"Bei Yuan, what are you thinking about? You seem so lost in thought."
"It's nothing, Principal Jiang, I was just thinking about some things related to cultivation."
Chen Beiyuan responded with a smile to Jiang Baiyi's kind and gentle inquiry.
"To be honest, since the establishment of Donghua Academy, I have seen quite a few geniuses and prodigies, but in terms of potential alone, no one can compare to you, an eighteen-year-old fifth-rank war general. Hey, my imperial brother once wanted to marry Yunhua to you. You and I could have been a family."
Jiang Baiyi sighed, a hint of regret on her face.
"Thank you Principal Jiang and His Majesty for your kindness and high regard for Bei Yuan. However, this matter was decided by my grandfather personally, and Bei Yuan can only obey."
Chen Beiyuan also sighed helplessly, looking as if he had no choice in the matter.
He didn't believe his own father would harm him.
There must have been other reasons why she didn't choose to marry into the imperial family back then.
There's no need for me to fall into this trap.
In the original work, the imperial family, this behemoth, always kept a low profile, remaining hidden behind the scenes, observing the changing world, and rarely taking action.
Even when they intervene, they merely act as mediators, mediating conflicts between the various factions and serving as referees, never showing excessive favoritism towards any one party...
The more unusual it is, the more extraordinary it seems.
Seeing that Chen Beiyuan immediately brought up his own father as soon as he opened his mouth, he seemed to be completely unyielding and impervious to reason.
Jiang Baiyi cursed the little fox under her breath, and then she put away her little schemes.
"Old Master Chen is the pillar of our Donghua Empire, the beam that holds up the sea. He must have his own reasons for this!"
"Alright, let's put this matter aside for now and get down to business!"
Jiang Baiyi opened the cabinet, took out a rusty token engraved with a blood dragon totem, placed it in front of Chen Beiyuan, and slowly said:
"This is the reward for this academy competition: the token to unlock the mysterious secret realm. That realm is extremely special; it contains a 'Dragon Blood Pool' formed from a drop of essence blood of the eighth-grade ferocious beast, the Blood Demon Dragon Emperor."
However, over the years, through the Empire's investigation, it has been discovered that the essence blood that condenses in the "Dragon Blood Pool" is not simple; it should be a drop of natal dragon blood.
The dragon blood of one's destiny is extremely important to the dragon race, as it may contain some of the dragon race's inherited memories.
Dragons will never force out their "lifeblood" unless they are facing a life-or-death situation.
So, it seems that the eighth-rank ferocious beast, the Blood Demon Dragon Emperor, has perished.
Unfortunately, the empire searched the entire secret realm but could not find the Blood Demon Dragon Emperor's corpse.
Speaking of this, Jiang Baiyi also felt a little regretful.
The price of the corpse of an eighth-grade ferocious beast is naturally considerable.
Especially since it is a powerful and ferocious beast with pure dragon blood!
Even ordinary eighth-rank battle emperors wouldn't dare to confront an existence of this caliber head-on; they could only avoid its sharp edge.
Even if several Rank 8 Battle Emperors joined forces, they might not be able to hunt him down!
Its dragon scales, horns, teeth, and other precious materials could probably be used to forge several rank-eight divine weapons.
It's important to know that even some eighth-rank Battle Emperors might not possess an eighth-rank divine weapon!
When the imperial family discovered this mysterious place, they were overjoyed, as if it were a windfall.
Unfortunately, after years of searching and countless resources being wasted, not only were the remains of the Blood Dragon Emperor not found, but not even a single dragon hair was discovered.
Although the "Dragon Blood Pool" is unique, it requires decades of accumulation before it can be used once.
What's even more frustrating is that after the "Dragon Blood Pool" is activated, the energy contained within it dissipates extremely quickly, as if the Dragon Blood Pool is inherently flawed.
It can be said that this item is currently a "white elephant" in the hands of the imperial family; it's neither useful nor worth discarding.
While it may seem useless, it does have some use; at least it can enhance physical strength.
While it may seem useful, its usefulness is limited. Before you can absorb much of its benefits, most of your energy is already lost.
That is why the imperial family offered it as a prize for the "Grand Academic Competition".
Anyway, this thing only has one last use left.
Once used, the entire secret realm will collapse!
Upon hearing this, Chen Beiyuan's mind went blank; these things had never been mentioned in the original work.
If Jiang Baiyi hadn't brought it up, he probably wouldn't have known anything at all!
"In any case, Bei Yuan, once you enter, absorb the energy of the Dragon Blood Pool as soon as possible. It will still be of great benefit to you. With a strong physical body, it will be easier to break through to the sixth-grade Battle King."
"I understand, Principal Jiang. I will always remember your kindness."
Chen Beiyuan knew very well that the reason Jiang Baiyi had told him so much and explained it so thoroughly was to do him a favor.
Not everyone is worthy of an eighth-rank War Emperor's favor.
At least, in the original novel, Jiang Baiyi never mentioned these things to Lin Xiao, the chosen one of destiny.