(Shangguan POV)
The rage that filled me could not be measured as I looked at the woman across from me. She was the reason why Zen did not have eyes for me.
Even though I know that it was because of that stupid promise I made to that waste of space that caused me to lose my chance to be with him, she was the main reason why he could not still accept me.
I never would have thought that such a silly mistake would have caused me such pain and unhappiness; even my little sister, who looked up to me, was now using that mistake as a way to one-up me and marry my beloved.
This was how everything went down.
I was actually heading to Lin city to see Zen, whom my mom and dad promised would get to be my husband, so I went there to at least see my future husband since the sect's annual meeting was being held there, and he would be there. But who would have thought that a perverted manticore would capture me while I was bathing and take me prisoner in his cave?
Manticores were really powerful elemental monsters that had a power level close to that of a master rank practitioner when they had reached adulthood, but this one was still a teen based on his young face but still more powerful than me.
The manticore had tried sleeping with me countless times but failed since I always came up with excuses like I was on my period and that I had taken a pill that would kill me if any man or beast sleeps with me until I reach my mating cycle.
I know humans don't have that, but when you are faced with a human-headed monster that only thought with its lower half and knew nothing about humans and human society, especially the women, then some lies and other bull could be taken as truths.
I knew such an excuse wouldn't last long and that it would sooner or later have its way with me, so I started using some herbs that I had on my person to create a poison for it. I was not an alchemist, but I knew that if some herbs are not mixed properly and not boiled, they can become poison to whoever takes them.
That was when that walking bad luck called Hao Ren, who was passing by at the time and saw me trapped, fought the manticore but failed and was captured. We spent some time together and then devised a plan together to poison the manticore, but nothing worked since the poison in its body was more potent than ours, so I thought that it was all over.
But even in that situation, Hao Ren was still positive and optimistic that everything would be fine, and I was stupid for falling for his tricks and promised to be with him if he was able to save us.
That was when I realised I was tricked by him, and he killed the manticore after a bitter struggle, but I decided to still stay with him since, at that time, I felt some gratitude for him and was interested in him, for he was able to kill that manticore.
I, of course, decided to renege on my promise and no longer be with him after I had gone to Tang city with him since he wanted to get some pills for his master and happened to see Zen entering the auction house. I was then spotted by one of my father's sect elders, and when I received information from him that my mother had some good news for me, I knew it was concerning Zen, but I was a bit conflicted at first about still marrying Zen.
But who would have known that Zen was so wealthy, being able to buy two entire sections of the auction without batting an eye? I helped him a bit when he was being challenged and, of course, heard his disciple's voice.
I steeled my resolve and left that good-for-nothing who only knew how to scam girls and followed that sect elder back to my dad's sect. That was when I heard even bigger news.
"That Phys Zen is the owner of countless gold and elemental stone mines in the Qidian kingdom and other kingdoms around the Qidian kingdom. Even though the royal family strictly forbids the private ownership of these minerals, since he is an elder practitioner of a high-ranking sect, they let it slide, but the most shocking thing we found out is the fact that he is actually the creator of the storage rings," My dad said, looking outside the window and down at the sect below him.
"Really? He is that wealthy?" I could not believe my ears at that time.
"Yes, so if you manage to marry him, not only do we get a share of that wealth, but we can also have access to the runes he uses to make the storage rings and the other runic equipment he makes, like the new flying materials, so make sure you attract him, or your sister will take your place."
That warning kept me up at night, and when the day finally came and Zen was standing in front of me, I was a bit scared when I saw him holding the hand of a woman who looked about thirty years old, or maybe even older. She looked like what those mortals called a good wife.
I even heard some of the elders comment about how her hips and breasts were good for giving birth, and I had unconsciously looked at my body, which was on the more athletic side.
But when Zen said she was his disciple, I felt relieved, hoping nothing would go wrong, but...
That bad luck called Hao Ren came and messed up everything for me, ruining the life that I had already planned.
Even my little sister, who I thought would have at least supported me in my quest, turned against me and even wanted to have Zen as her husband.
I thought the whole nightmare was over, but then...
"Ah, well, you see, I have twin daughters back at the village, and Yuri is like their adopted mother, the one they chose, so in a way I already have someone,"
Those words made me blank out for a moment as I looked at the woman named Yuri who had her head lowered in embarrassment, and I felt the urge to kill well up inside me.
When Zen disappeared with my father and that thing, I had attacked my sister in a fit of rage that clouded my vision. It was only when I came to that I realised that I was being held back by the elders as my mother held a still breathing but almost lifeless Mayene in her arms.
"Leave that kid alone." Father then appeared looking dishevelled, and that was the first time I had seen him like that; he did not even look at my mother and just left, almost falling from the sky.
"Zen!" My mother screamed, holding my sister.
Even though I knew that all of this was somehow my fault, I still needed to blame someone, but now that my sister was out of commission and that jinx was gone, I turned my anger to that little thief who looked innocent but had brainwashed my beloved with her body and those kids.
My mother locked me in my room, but I was able to escape just in time before the elders began their own battles.
"I challenge Yuri of the Ink cloud Sect." I got on stage and declared my challenge as I found where Zen was sitting, and beside him was that hated woman carrying a little girl with what looked like black hair but reflected a bit of green, and the other lady had an identical girl on her lap, but she had light green hair.
"I guess those are the twins," I muttered.
"Is that even allowed?"
"I though dao children of sects only face off against other dao children?"
...
I ignored the whispers that came from the audience as I looked at the Yuri woman as she got up, giving the girl to Zen and then said some things to him with a smile, which I wanted to tear off her face, but what I saw next confirmed my guess and also scared me.
spider-like appendages appeared behind her as she came down, and this made me realise that she really was a seductress since most arachnids have a way of charming men, but I was scared that she would do the same to me since they also for some reason affect women too.
This also drew gasps from the audiences, as they could not believe what they were seeing, but that was not what I focused on as I heard something that made me even more infuriated.
"Go, mama!" One of the girls cheered.
"Go, darling!" And beloved also followed suit
Don't worry, my beloved; I will free you from her clutches, and I would give you your own children.