Maybe My Soulmate! (GL)

"i... i have lived for nearly two centuries," he began, his voice raspy. "one hundred and fifty years ago, when i was but a young man, i traveled to the western continent. i was fortunate enough... to witness the clan leader of the soaring cloud sect, a true master... a legendary existence."

he took a shaky breath, his eyes wide with memory. "the legends say that a master of that realm can shatter a mountain with a single breath, that their sword can cleave an ocean in two. that day, i saw him casually wave his hand and erase a mountain that stood in his way. the pressure... the dao rhythm... the sheer, absolute power that bent the world to his will..."

he slowly turned his head, his ancient eyes locking onto su yubing, who still radiated a terrifying might.

"the pressure we just felt... the aura that nearly crushed our souls... it is the unmistakable might of that legendary realm. the realm of the nascent soul!"

the hall, already silent, somehow became even quieter. the words hung in the air, each one a hammer blow to their fragile understanding of the world. nascent soul? that was a realm of gods, of legends! it was a level of power their entire azure dragon city hadn't seen in a thousand years!

"impossible!" su bo choked out, his face white as a sheet. "she was only at the qi condensation stage a year ago! how could she reach the nascent soul realm in a single year?! it's impossible!"

the others stared, their minds refusing to believe it, yet the memory of that soul-crushing terror was still fresh. it was a power they couldn't even begin to comprehend.

su mingde shook his head slowly, a look of profound reverence on his face. "the world is vast, and the path of cultivation is filled with miracles. some heaven-defying geniuses are born, true dragons among carp, whose progress cannot be measured by common sense. our yubing... she is one of them. she is a miracle."

he looked around at the stunned, greedy, and fearful faces of his clansmen. "do you understand now? she is not someone we can provoke. her life is not something we can control. she is a nascent soul ancestor! an existence that can guarantee our su family's prosperity for ten thousand years!"

the mood in the hall shifted in an instant. the shock and fear were still there, but now they were being rapidly replaced by something else: overwhelming, ecstatic greed.

"a nascent soul ancestor..." one uncle whispered, his eyes gleaming. "our su family... will have a nascent soul ancestor!"

"we could dominate azure dragon city! no, the entire southern region!" another exclaimed, his body trembling with excitement.

the earlier conversation about her marriage, about lin fan, about bloodlines—it was all forgotten, dismissed as the foolish ramblings of ignorant ants. who cared if she married a man or a woman? a nascent soul expert's whims were heavenly decrees! whatever she desired would happen. who were they to object?

they looked at su yubing, and then at the powerful, smiling woman beside her. they were no longer a scandalous pair. they were a divine couple, the twin suns of the su family's glorious future. their previous outrage seemed like a distant, embarrassing dream. now, all they could feel was fawning reverence and the thrilling anticipation of the unimaginable heights their family was about to soar to.

The entire Su family estate was still trembling from the aftershocks of Su Yubing's eruption of power.

..

..

The great hall of the Su family estate remained heavy with the charged silence of Su Yubing's monumental declaration. The aftershocks of her nascent soul aura still lingered palpably in the air—the temperature cold, the very atmosphere shimmering with the residue of unparalleled power. The once-shocked elders and clan members, their faces drained of color, had been trapped in a whirlpool of tumultuous emotions: disbelief, fear, pride, and something very close to awe.

Then, amid the silence, the tall figure of Lord Su, the venerable head of the Su family, stepped forward. His steps were steady, each one mindful and deliberate, the center of power and calm in the fragile storm of his clan. Years of leadership had hardened his responsibility into a steady resolve, and his gaze swept the room—not with anger or dismissal, but with a mature, sovereign kindness that silenced whispers.

He raised his hand, commanding attention, and spoke with a voice both regal and warmly resolute.

"My family," Lord Su began, his tone carrying the weight of both tradition and wisdom, "we live in an era where change is not just inevitable but necessary. We have always prided ourselves on unity, on strength, and above all, on love and loyalty. It pains me to see the momentous event of Su Yubing's return—a beacon of our family's future—met with confusion and resistance born of fear."

He paused, eyes locking with his daughter's, then shifting to Mo Yuxin beside her, whose hand remained woven tightly with Su Yubing's—an unbreakable bond visible to all.

"Su Yubing, our peerless heir, has not only returned safe but has ascended to heights that even the legends barely whisper about—the realm of the Nascent Soul. Such power is beyond the realms of our former imaginations. And with this power, she chooses her path—a path dictated by her heart, her truth, and the formidable strength she wields."

Lord Su's expression hardened, voice sharpening with authority as he turned to the cluster of elderly relatives resisting the truth.

"To those among you who cling to past prejudices and narrow definitions of duty, I say this—there is no shame in breaking chains of outdated traditions. We have already discarded the corrupt and inhumane practice of harems a few centuries ago because we knew then what I say now: traditions must serve our family's strength and honor, not crush it beneath outdated expectations."

A murmur of assent flickered through the hall. The elders, though reluctant, began to sober to reality.

Lady Su stepped forward as well, graceful yet firm in her demeanor. Her eyes gleamed with maternal pride as she spoke, her voice soft but unwavering.

"Our family does not need to bow to petty traditions written only for fear and control. We have always been united by something far more sacred—our care for one another, our undying loyalty, and our relentless drive to uphold the Su family's dignity and legacy. What matters is the strength and true will each of us carries within. Su Yubing has proven her strength, and her heart is pure."

The hall was still, but anticipation bloomed like a flower through the tension. The young generation—those who had been shocked just moments ago—now swarmed around Su Yubing, their faces alight with excitement and newfound admiration. The once fearful walls of the Su family's cultural shell were cracking, revealing the bright light inside.

One close cousin, a young woman who had grown up alongside Su Yubing, pulled her aside and spoke in a low voice filled with hope and secret pride.

"You've opened a new path for all of us," she whispered. "I want you to know, I... I have been in a relationship with the young female lord of the Ma family. We—" She hesitated, a blush coloring her cheeks. "We've kept it quiet, fearing the backlash. But now, because of you, I feel I can live openly. Maybe… maybe our love, too, can be celebrated."

Her words sent a ripple through the hearing circle.

At that moment, Father Su's third brother—the ambitious and shrewd uncle who had earlier advocated for a politically motivated marriage with Lin Fan—broke into a wide grin, his face lighting up with genuine delight.

"Ha! Good, good!" he exclaimed heartily, clapping his hands. "Looks like our Su family's young heir has not only returned with unmatched power but has also found love that can strengthen our clan ties far beyond what we imagined."

He turned to the cousin, eyes twinkling with scheming warmth. "The Ma family is rising fast in Azure Dragon City. Since you and the female lord are fond of each other, this is a perfect opportunity. Let us move quickly and settle your marriage—this alliance will secure our family's future and will surprise none more than the Lin family."

The cousin's eyes widened, a mix of shock, elation, and relief rushing through her.

"I… I never thought this day would come so easily. Thank you," she breathed, her voice trembling softly with emotion. "I can't wait to go to the Ma family and surprise her."

The younger crowd around Su Yubing burst into cheerful chatter, discussing strategies, dreams, and future plans. Discord was replaced by harmony, as they embraced new possibilities for love and power—a future welded not by stubborn tradition but by genuine respect and boundless ambition.

The elders who had earlier raged or disbelieved now looked on with humbled, sober eyes. The reverence for Su Yubing's unprecedented power united their thoughts: she was no longer just their daughter or clan heir. She was the living incarnation of their family's hopes and future prosperity.

Lord Su raised his hand once more, calm settling over the hall like a soothing rain.

"From this day forward, the Su family stands united—not just as a powerful clan but as a family that listens to the heart's true will. Let us embrace the new era that Su Yubing and Mo Yuxin herald. The world is vast, the path of cultivation is boundless, and the strength of love—be it between man and woman or woman and woman—is what forges immortality."

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To be continued.