I'm Feng Aotian—And I’m Running Away from My Wedding - Chapter 1

An eagle soared into the sky against the blazing sun, its fleeting shadow vanishing instantly as it landed on the stone steps.

At that moment, a hundred or so children around ten years old stood in an orderly row on the vast training ground, their eyes filled with anticipation as they stared at the woman standing on the stone steps. Dressed in sharp military attire, her expression was solemn, exuding authority without uttering a word. The oldest of these children were no more than twelve or thirteen, and none dared meet her gaze, lowering their heads whenever her eyes swept over them.

“Family Head, the auspicious hour has arrived. It is time to begin the bone assessment,” an elder with graying temples stepped forward, bowing as he reminded her.

“No rush, let’s wait a little longer,” the woman replied, her tone calm yet leaving no room for doubt as her gaze once again swept over the dense crowd of children, as if searching for someone.

Under the scorching sun, a few of the weaker children trembled on their feet, barely able to stand steady.

“Family Head…”

“Let’s begin,” the woman interrupted, a slight frown forming between her brows. Her voice was not loud, but it struck like a sudden clap of thunder, jolting everyone present. They held their breath in unison, awaiting her next instruction.

In the tense silence, a bold voice rang out from the edge of the square:

“Mother, I’m here.”

A girl in luxurious embroidered robes strode forward, her long hair tied up, her phoenix-like eyes gleaming with the unique vitality of youth. Sweat dotted her forehead, and her collar was slightly damp, yet her movements were unhurried, as if she were strolling through a leisurely garden.

At the sight of her, many of the children lowered their heads, not daring to look her way.

“No matter,” the woman nodded, a faint smile breaking through her stern expression as she gestured for the girl to stand at the end of the line.

With that, the test to determine whether an ordinary person could step into the ranks of martial artists officially began.

The first child stepped forward shakily, placing a hand on the obsidian-like stone, deep and dark as the night. In an instant, the stone emitted a faint blue glow before dissipating into a wisp of smoke.

“Incomplete bone structure. Next,” the elder shook his head, making a casual lifting motion with his hand. The disappointed child was immediately lifted by an unseen force and carried off the field.

The next four or five children elicited no special reaction from the stone; some didn’t even produce a glimmer of light, leaving the stone pitch black.

Surprisingly, everyone present seemed accustomed to this outcome. The woman presiding over the bone assessment stood with her hands behind her back, not even blinking an eye.

It wasn’t until the nineteenth child stepped forward that something finally changed.

The dark stone turned a deep blue, emitting a soft azure glow that hovered in the air.

“Look! It’s the Azure Stone talent! One of the top ten innate martial gifts!” a child below couldn’t help but whisper excitedly.

At this, the woman presiding over the ceremony finally stepped out of her passive observation. She strode over and warmly helped the girl to her feet. “You are Li Ruoruo from the collateral branch, correct? From now on, you will be one of our family’s key martial artists to nurture.”

“Really?” The girl was both shocked and overjoyed, her previously tense face instantly relaxing. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if she couldn’t believe what was happening and feared it might be a fleeting dream.

“How can a mere Azure Stone talent qualify as an inner disciple? Since when has our Li family become so desperate for members?” a clear, ringing voice, sharp as a crack of thunder, came from the end of the line.

In an instant, the girl in lavish embroidered robes strode forward proudly. Without ceremony, she pushed aside the children gathered around Li Ruoruo, marched up the stone steps, and pressed her hand firmly against the obsidian stone.

“Ying’er, you…” The woman presiding over the bone-testing ceremony shook her head helplessly, waving off the elders who tried to intervene, though her eyes held a doting fondness.

In stark contrast, Li Ruoruo, surrounded by the crowd, bit her lip, a shadow of darkness flickering across her face before she quickly masked it with a timid bow of her head.

“Look! It’s crimson red, the legendary top-tier Crimson Flame talent!” Exclamations rose and fell throughout the crowd.

At that moment, the girl standing on the platform raised her hand, a faint red glow emanating from her palm as the illusory form of a coiling fire dragon materialized above it.

“See this? This is what true martial talent looks like. This is the qualification to enter the inner sect,” she declared, crossing her arms as she scanned the surroundings. Her small frame seemed to radiate an aura that overlooked the world.

Hearing this, the children who had failed the test earlier hung their heads, faces filled with awe and reverence. Those yet to be tested watched with envious eyes, offering congratulations one after another.

“Mother, I have not disappointed you,” Li Baiying nodded slightly to the woman presiding over the ceremony, not even sparing a glance at Li Ruoruo, who appeared dim and overshadowed beside her.

“You’ve had your fun. Now hurry back and review your techniques.”

“Yes,” Li Baiying clasped her fists, turned, and strode decisively toward the rear courtyard without hesitation. As she passed the dozen or so children who hadn’t been selected, she paused briefly. “What are you standing around for? Follow me.”

“Yes, Young Mistress,” the children exchanged uncertain glances, too bewildered to question her, and could only trail behind her.

Upon reaching the rear courtyard, Li Baiying stopped and pointed at a pile of training dummies. “You will practice whatever I practice. Understand? Even though you weren’t chosen, your daily training must not be neglected.”

“But… Young Mistress, since we lack the talent to become martial artists, what’s the point of training? At best, we’ll only become ordinary folks with a bit of combat skill. What difference does it make?”

“What’s your name?” Li Baiying frowned, turning her head to look at the thin girl who had raised the question.

“I… I’m Li Yue,” the girl replied nervously. Her companions instinctively stepped away, as if afraid of being implicated.

“Alright, then I’ll answer you seriously, Li Yue.”

After a moment of contemplation, Li Baiying spoke gravely, “In this continent, martial artists reign supreme, but not everyone possesses the innate talent to become one. That’s why there are so many ordinary people. As long as the martial spirit endures, knowing how to fight will always be a vital skill for survival, even for those without great strength. In other words, you don’t want to be bullied in the future without any means to defend yourselves, do you?”

As she spoke, she threw a punch into the air. A crimson whirlwind howled forth, sending a straw dummy flying dozens of meters away. “Though you may never reach the level of true martial artists, you’ll be more than capable of handling ordinary people. So, are you willing to learn?”

“Of course, we want to learn!” Li Yue’s eyes lit up, and she eagerly raised her hand.

“Good.”

Li Baiying surveyed the group, assigning each of them a training dummy before demonstrating a set of fist techniques at the front. Soon, the courtyard echoed with the sounds of exertion, the atmosphere even more fervent than during the bone-testing ceremony earlier.

It wasn’t until nightfall that the children gradually dispersed. Li Baiying was the last to leave the rear courtyard, drenched in sweat but with eyes blazing with intensity.

Just as she was about to step into the courtyard where she lived, she halted abruptly and turned around without warning. “Mother, there’s no need to hide behind the tree on purpose.”

“You caught me,” Li Anqing said, stepping out slowly, her eyes filled with both pride and concern. She instinctively reached out to pat her daughter’s head, but when the girl immediately dodged, she couldn’t help but sigh softly. “The words you spoke to those eliminated collateral family members today were quite impressive. It seems you’ve thoroughly studied the family notes I sent you.”

“Which words?” Li Baiying asked knowingly, raising an eyebrow. “Are you referring to the challenge I issued at the training ground, or the casual remarks I made in the backyard?”

“You…” Li Anqing shook her head helplessly, fine wrinkles forming at the corners of her eyes from a suppressed smile. “At such a young age, you already possess such profound insights into the path of a martial artist. Your mother and I can rest assured entrusting the family to you in the future.”

“In terms of talent and lineage, the family has always been mine. No one else has the right to lay a finger on it,” Li Baiying declared, lifting her chin with unbridled confidence.

Knowing her daughter’s temperament, Li Anqing said nothing more. She handed her a bottle of pills to strengthen her foundation and replenish her vitality, leaving her with the advice, “Rest early. Training requires a balance of work and rest,” before turning to leave.

As night fell, the cawing of crows echoed from the rafters.

Li Baiying hurried into her room, closed the door, and sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. She swallowed one of the pills her mother had given her but paid no heed to the rest of the advice.

At that moment, the fiery dragon in her palm gradually solidified from a phantom into a tangible form, circling and roaring vividly beside her, radiating waves of explosive energy.

Anyone familiar with the martial artist system would have gasped in astonishment, this was already the level of an Apprentice Martial Artist, Second Stage: Materializing Qi! To reach the second stage on the very day of enlightenment was a talent rarely seen in the world.

Yet those who knew Li Baiying even slightly would not be surprised. Since she was old enough to understand, she had trained rigorously under her parents’ strict guidance day after day, never slacking off. One could say this achievement was entirely the result of her diligent daily practice and accumulated efforts.

“Caw-”

Suddenly, a pitch-black, peculiar bird dropped a letter in front of her before strutting over to the windowsill to peck at grains.

“What’s this? And it’s stamped?”

Li Baiying swiftly tore open the sealed letter. After just a couple of glances, excitement lit up her face. “A martial arts tournament?!”