SUPREME ARCH-MAGUS

Thea remained silent, her eyes fixed on the rippling water of the pond. She took the potion without a word, but made no move to drink it. The weight of her troubles pressed heavily upon her, and not even the assurance of her sister could lift it.

Lily, not one to give up easily, tried to engage Thea with different questions, asking about the family, their father's plans, even the state of the garden. But Thea's responses were listless, her voice barely above a whisper. It was as if a part of her had retreated into a place where Lily could not reach.

Finally, Lily gave up trying to cheer her elder sister and let out a resigned sigh. "I'm going away for two months," she said, her voice filled with a mix of reluctance and determination. "I won't be back for a while."

Thea, who had seemed almost oblivious to her surroundings until then, turned to look at Lily. "Where are you going?" she asked, her voice laced with a faint trace of concern.

Lily smiled at the response, grateful that she had at least managed to elicit some reaction. "I'm going to train the seven thousand disciples who will be participating in the Immortal Beast Spirit Gathering on the Blue Planet," she explained, her tone light despite the heavy topic.

At the mention of the Blue Planet, Thea's emotions stirred. Her heart raced, a sudden surge of excitement bubbling within her at the thought of Kent, the promised groom she hadn't seen in so long. But she quickly suppressed it, masking her feelings behind a composed facade.

"Why do you seem so unenthusiastic about it?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

Lily sighed, her lively demeanor fading as she spoke. "The training is happening to help the son of the Nine Realms' Head, Jason Mama. There's not much benefit for the Seventh Realm in this," she said, her voice tinged with bitterness.

"Besides, the training is taking place at the Lin Family premises. You know how Lin Dan is… he'll harass me about marriage the whole time. He thinks just because I'm his promised bride, he can control my life."

Thea frowned, her sister's predicament stirring a protective instinct within her. "Aren't you his promised bride?" she asked, her tone sharper than she intended.

Lily gritted her teeth, her fists clenching at her sides. "Yes, but I don't like him," she said, her voice filled with defiance. "He's arrogant and controlling. He sees me as nothing more than a prize to be won, not as a person with my own thoughts and desires. The Trident Summit is just an excuse for him to push me into something I don't want."

Thea's gaze softened with understanding. She knew all too well the burden of being a pawn in the political games of their realm. "I'm sorry, Lily," she said gently. "I wish I could help you."

Lily shook her head, a sad smile playing on her lips. "It's not your fault, sister. We all have our own battles to fight." She took a deep breath, composing herself before continuing.

"But there's something more you should know. The Nine Realms' Head, Jason Mama, has a plan for the Immortal Beast Spirit Gathering. He's not just sending his son Simon to compete; he's orchestrating the entire event to ensure Simon wins the War God Inheritance."

Thea's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean?"

Lily explained, her voice low and serious. "Jason Mama has offered seven thousand slots for the gathering to the other realms, but in exchange, he's asked for their support in making sure Simon emerges victorious. His plan is for all the disciples from the eight realms to form a Lotus Chakra formation around Simon. Once the Sacred Blessing appears, everyone will attack Simon.

He'll then defeat them all to prove himself to the gods."

Thea felt a chill run down her spine. "But… that would leave the disciples of the Blue Planet with nothing," she said, her voice trembling with concern. "They'll be used as pawns in this scheme."

Lily nodded gravely. "Exactly. And that's why I'm not excited about going. The Blue Planet will never agree to this, but Jason doesn't care. He's willing to do whatever it takes to make Simon the next Half Sovereign, even if it means sacrificing the futures of thousands of young cultivators."

Thea's mind raced as she processed the information. She knew Kent would be participating in the gathering. The thought of him being caught up in Jason's scheme filled her with dread. She couldn't stand by and let this happen.

Seeing silent Thea, Lily sighed and turned around to leave.

But suddenly, she felt a firm grip on her hand. Lily stopped, surprised, and looked back at her sister. Thea's expression, usually so serene, was now intense, her deep gaze locking onto Lily's with a seriousness that made her pause.

"What is it, sister?" Lily asked, her voice filled with curiosity and concern.

Thea held onto Lily's hand, her grip tightening as if she had suddenly grasped onto an idea too precious to let go. "Lily," she began, her voice steady but laced with a hint of urgency, "do you truly not want to marry Lin Dan?"

Lily's eyes widened at the directness of the question. She hadn't expected Thea to delve into this topic so abruptly. Her initial surprise quickly gave way to a serious expression. She searched Thea's face for a moment, then nodded slowly.

"Yes," she admitted, her tone resolute. "I don't want to marry him. But… what are you getting at, Thea?"

Thea's eyes gleamed with a sudden spark of excitement, as if an idea had just taken root in her mind, blossoming into a plan. "Then why don't you take someone as a fake husband and use him as a shield?" she suggested, her voice filled with an almost childlike excitement at the prospect.

Lily shook her head. "You know the rules as well as I do. If I want to break off the marriage proposal, the person I choose must defeat Lin Dan in combat. Lin Dan is a formidable opponent. I don't think that's possible," she replied, her tone tinged with resignation.

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Thank you all... :-)