Chapter 1168: 1168: Marriage Fate Importance

Chapter 1168: Chapter 1168: Marriage Fate Importance

Yue Hongyan intentionally arrived at the meeting place a bit early and chose a window seat, positioning herself so that her most beautiful side faced the entrance.

As soon as Lin Shen walked in, he would immediately see Yue Hongyan at her most flawless state—her makeup, demeanor, lighting, posture, and gaze—all meticulously prepared to deliver a powerful impact of beauty.

Yue Hongyan did this not because she had any feelings for Lin Shen; quite the opposite. It was precisely because she had no feelings for him that such preparation was necessary.

Though fate in romance may be preordained, it is not a simple one-to-one equation. One party may have multiple threads of fate, while the other may have only one.

Even if both parties have just one thread of fate, these threads differ in weight.

The one with more weight is in a more advantageous position, enjoying a lighter burden and even gaining benefits from the relationship.

The one with less weight, to put it plainly, is the “chaser,” whose efforts far exceed those of the other party.

From the perspective of the Marriage Law, the red thread of the weightier party is easier to cut, whereas the thread of the lighter party is much harder to sever.

If the weightier party unilaterally severs the red thread, the lighter party’s thread may still cling to the former, but it has no binding effect on the weightier party anymore and becomes irrelevant.

The lighter party, however, suffers a worse fate. Once the thread is severed on the other end, their own thread remains attached without support, unable to reconnect with someone else—a lifetime of devotion leads to nothing.

Yue Hongyan could not yet sever the thread between herself and Lin Shen, so her immediate task was to shift the weight of their connection.

For ordinary people, altering this weight was exceedingly difficult. But Yue Hongyan, a top-tier practitioner in the Path of Marriage, was naturally adept at such things. Combined with the Divine Skill “First-tier Sky” and some external forces, changing the weight was not beyond her reach.

First and foremost—this was critical—she needed to make Lin Shen fall for her at first sight.

In the Path of Marriage, the first to fall in love holds the lighter weight. The more smitten Lin Shen became, the lighter his weight would grow, making the severing of their thread much simpler.

Although she was indifferent to romance between men and women, Yue Hongyan had immense confidence in her appearance, charisma, and allure.

She would show Lin Shen her most captivating side—conquer him and then sever that damned thread.

Dream Star was already a whimsical and fantastical planet, known as a legendary place of love. Its soft pink hues could easily evoke the gentlest emotions in people.

Bathed in the tender twilight glow at her window seat, Yue Hongyan looked like a princess stepping out of a fairy tale—stunningly beautiful and mesmerizing.

Many of the dating couples in the restaurant couldn’t help but glance her way, the men especially stealing repeated looks toward Yue Hongyan.

Some went so far as to ignore their female companions, gazing dreamily at Yue Hongyan.

From her seat by the window, Yue Hongyan saw Lin Shen step through the restaurant’s doors. She immediately adjusted her posture to greet him in her best state, one of the reasons she had chosen this spot.

In this moment, under this ambiance and lighting, even the red threads of several couples broke apart automatically, the newly unattached threads instinctively trying to connect to Yue Hongyan—but they failed even to approach her.

Practitioners in the Path of Marriage were not so easily entangled by stray threads.

As Lin Shen entered the restaurant and looked toward Yue Hongyan, her beauty reached its peak, presenting him with the most flawless view of her profile.

Yet, in Lin Shen’s eyes, Yue Hongyan appeared as nothing more than a blur, a mosaic void of any appeal.

Lin Shen walked straight to her and calmly took the seat opposite Yue Hongyan.

When Yue Hongyan noticed Lin Shen’s clear gaze, as if her beauty had no effect on him, her heart inexplicably clenched.

“Impossible. There’s no way this pervert could ignore my beauty.” Yue Hongyan refused to believe Lin Shen was unaffected. She assumed he was just feigning indifference, playing a game of cat and mouse. She quickly glanced at the red thread connecting them.

What she saw nearly made her heart stop.

She noticed that the end of the red thread held by Lin Shen was fading in color, while the end tied around her neck was growing deeper in red.

The fading indicated an increase in dominance; the deepening red signified a loss of dominance. Not only had she failed to achieve her desired outcome, but she had also made matters worse.

Yue Hongyan felt an overwhelming urge to cough up blood but had to force down her frustration.

If she turned hostile now, it would not only fail to boost her weight but would instead further strengthen Lin Shen’s position.

“Are you blind? Can’t you see the overwhelming allure I’m radiating?” Yue Hongyan raged internally, but her face maintained a gentle smile. “Pavilion Master Tian, I’m deeply honored that you could take time out of your busy schedule to meet me. Please, order whatever you like—it’s my treat tonight.”

Yue Hongyan employed the tactic of retreating to advance, knowing that a warm and generous demeanor was more likely to evoke a man’s protective instincts.

Most men, in such circumstances, would take the initiative and insist on covering the bill themselves.

“Thank you,” Lin Shen replied simply, and then… nothing else followed.

Yue Hongyan froze for a full three seconds, staring at Lin Shen, unable to think of a single prepared line to follow up with.

“Yue Family Master, I’ve come to discuss something with you,” Lin Shen said straightforwardly. He knew he wasn’t Ouyang Yudu or Di Esi—he didn’t possess the charisma to make women flock to him on their own.

Nor did he have the time to spar verbally with Yue Hongyan, nor the intention to win her over with sincerity and genuine feelings.

For Lin Shen, the most practical approach was to propose a deal, offering enough benefit to persuade Yue Hongyan—fair and mutually beneficial, with no one being shortchanged.

Though difficult, it was far more efficient than playing emotional games.

“What is it?” Yue Hongyan asked, her curiosity piqued by Lin Shen’s serious demeanor. She couldn’t guess what legitimate business he had with her.

“Yue Family Master, do you practice the Path of Marriage?” Lin Shen inquired.

“Isn’t that obvious? How many Yue Family practitioners don’t follow the Path of Marriage? Your attempt at striking up a conversation is so lame—how are you even considered a playboy or a womanizer?” Yue Hongyan grumbled inwardly but outwardly maintained her gentle smile. “Correct. Is the Pavilion Master hoping I could take a look at your marriage fate?”

Lin Shen shook his head. “I’m already married with children; there’s no need to examine my marriage fate.”

This statement utterly confounded Yue Hongyan. She had always assumed Lin Shen was pursuing her, trying to flirt, but his declaration of being married completely contradicted that notion. Who would use marriage as an opening line to hit on someone?

“Then what do you mean?” Yue Hongyan’s smile faltered as she frowned at Lin Shen.

“Have you ever heard of the Netherworld Marriage Technique?” Lin Shen offered his first bargaining chip.

Yue Hongyan raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by the mention. “Of course. That’s the secret cultivation technique created by the Great Heavenly Netherworld King—a mysterious branch of the Path of Marriage and one of his hidden legacies. Why bring it up, Pavilion Master Tian?”

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