Chapter One: Sealed Away by Grandfather for Five Years, Seven Fiancées Break Off Their Engagements at a Funeral-Família de mártires leais teve seus bens confiscados; tornei-me imortal terreno(Imortal Questionador do Mundo)

Great Qian Dynasty, First General’s Mansion!

“Ye Qingyao, Saintess of the Xuantian Sword Sect, annuls the engagement!”

“Yun Yanran, daughter of the Master of Yunmengze Valley, annuls the engagement!”

“Lin Yurou of the Ancient City of Youhuang, annuls the engagement!”

…

“Liu Qingxin of the Yunhai Academy, annuls the engagement!”

Above the General’s Mansion, seven great powers stood imposingly in the sky, their presence oppressive as they shouted their declarations down at the mansion.

The seven young women were the most outstanding daughters of the current Great Qian Dynasty, each one a favored heir of her respective faction, future successors of great influence. Today, their target for annulment was none other than the last scion of the Chu family, the First General’s Mansion of Great Qian—Chu Tianchen.

For the Chu family, today was the most agonizing day in their history.

In the courtyard of the General’s Mansion lay fifteen pitch-black coffins. Inside each, apart from some clothing and a few broken pieces of silver, not a single corpse was found.

Within a single week, tragedy had struck again and again. General Chu Qingcang, his five sons, five daughters-in-law, two daughters, and two sons-in-law—all perished in battle. None left behind even bones.

A household of loyal heroes, devoted to their country and people, yet in the end, they met such a fate—what unspeakable sorrow!

Once the news broke, the seven great powers wasted no time and rushed to annul their engagements.

At this moment, Chu Tianchen stood beside Old Madam Yuan, clad in mourning attire, his face vacant and dull, as if his soul had departed.

“All of you, when my husband Qingcang was alive, he never treated you unfairly. Must you kick us while we’re down at a time like this?” Old Madam Yuan’s voice trembled with grief as she gazed at the seven powers above, her eyes red with tears.

Once, those seven young women would often come to the General’s Mansion to play, gathering around her and affectionately calling her “Grandmother.” Every year, she would send them vast resources for their cultivation.

Within the mansion, anything they wanted, Old Madam Yuan would hand over without hesitation. This was because they never despised her grandson, Chu Tianchen, for being a fool.

This comforted Old Madam Yuan, the old general, Chu Tianchen’s uncles, aunts, and all the elders, for among the Chu family’s next generation, he was the only male heir.

He was the darling of the entire family.

Moreover, Chu Tianchen had once been celebrated as the greatest prodigy of the Great Qian Dynasty. But five years ago, overnight, his meridians were sealed, his dantian vanished, and his mind became clouded.

From the highest prodigy, he fell in an instant to a fool.

The whole of Great Qian was shaken by this event.

And yet, despite this, the seven brilliant heiresses who were betrothed to him never showed disdain. They even declared that when they turned eighteen, they would marry into the General’s Mansion to continue its bloodline.

By the calendar, the seven figures in the sky should have formally become her granddaughters-in-law this year, but now, they stood in opposition.

“Kick you while you’re down? Old Madam Yuan, do you hear yourself? Which of us seven is not a genius? You actually expected us all to marry a fool? You must be dreaming.”

“If it weren’t for Chu Qingcang’s overwhelming power back then, forcing my Ye family’s hand, how could I have stooped so low to curry favor with you? Today, the fact that I, Ye Qingyao, didn’t make a scene at the funeral is already giving the Chu family enough face,” Ye Qingyao retorted sharply.

“Exactly. Back then, the General’s Mansion boasted six martial grandmasters and forced us, the Yunmengze, into this engagement by leveraging the Emperor’s favor. In my opinion, the Chu family’s current disaster is nothing but retribution,” Yun Yanran called out angrily.

“It seems we all share the same story. My Lin family of the Ancient City of Youhuang was also coerced and bribed. At that time, the Chu family’s power was unrivaled—even the royal family had to show them respect. How could we possibly resist?”

“Because of this, we’ve all suffered countless scornful glances in the Great Qian Dynasty. People said we were flattering the powerful, willing to marry a fool for the General’s Mansion’s sake. But who could know our real circumstances?” Lin Yurou spoke, tears glistening in her eyes.

The others spoke out as well, all echoing the same refrain.

On hearing this, Old Madam Yuan’s face went pale with anguish and fury. The shock made her cough up blood on the spot, and she collapsed to the ground.

“Grandmother!”

Two granddaughters and a granddaughter-in-law rushed to her side, clutching her as they wept.

Chu Tianchen, meanwhile, stood in place like a fool, gazing blankly at the sky. He said nothing, but if one looked closely, they would see tears slowly tracing down his cheeks.

“My God, to think the famed General’s Mansion was so despicable! Shameful!”

“I used to defend Ye Qingyao and the others—secretly scolding them for being shameless, marrying a fool for the mansion’s wealth. But now I see I wronged them. I deserve to die!”

“I deserve it, too! Who would have guessed the General’s Mansion was so sinister? Who knows how much darkness they’ve hidden?”

“Hah, they send troops every year—either suppressing rebellions or guarding the Abyss of Demons. Probably just an excuse to cheat the court out of resources.”

“I agree. Our Great Qian Dynasty, with a benevolent and powerful Emperor, how could there be so many uprisings and beast incursions? Chu family must be behind it all.”

“I’ve heard the Chu family was secretly raising an army, recruiting soldiers, plotting treason. Maybe it’s all true.”

“The Emperor practically worshipped them, and this is their repayment? Just as Yun Yanran said, it’s retribution—they deserve it!”

…

Boom!

Cries for condemnation echoed in Old Madam Yuan’s ears. In an instant, the entire General’s Mansion was engulfed in a storm of public opinion.

The Chu family, loyal to a fault, was now accused of treason.

Was this the people Chu Qingcang and his family had sacrificed everything to protect?

And those seven in the sky—when their factions spoke such words, did they truly feel no shame?

Old Madam Yuan’s heart was bleeding. If not for the children around her, she would have collapsed completely.

“Imperial Decree from His Majesty the Emperor!”

Amid the storm of voices, a thunderous proclamation sounded from afar.

In the next moment, a middle-aged powerhouse riding a Tier Four Iron-beaked Black Hawk descended upon the General’s Mansion.

“By imperial edict: Chu Qingcang of the Chu family, due to errors in command during the Abyss of Demons incident, caused the death of two hundred thousand warriors of the dynasty—a crime of the highest order.

“Ordinarily, your family would be executed, yet His Majesty is merciful and remembers your past service. Thus, you are granted a special pardon.

“From this day forth, the General’s Mansion is confiscated. All members of the Chu family are stripped of status and reduced to commoners, left to fend for themselves.

“Yuan Minglan, receive the decree.”

The man’s words struck like thunder. Old Madam Yuan spat blood again, nearly fainting from rage.

The imperial edict drifted down and landed before Chu Tianchen.

At that moment, Chu Tianchen slowly crouched down. Blood mixed with tears welled up at the corner of his eye as he tightly gripped the decree, his heart bleeding within.

“I’ve been sealed away by Grandfather for five years!”

Chu Tianchen spoke these words within his heart.