Chapter 704: I Don't Want To

The sky hadn't fully darkened, yet Zheng Tiancheng was already lit up like a sea of lanterns.

From the city gate to the Zheng Family's grand mansion at the city center, along both sides of the main street a red lantern hung every three steps; the lanterns bore the double‑joy characters written in gold dust, swaying gently in the night breeze, casting the green‑stone slab road a warm red glow.

Jiang Feng and Long Bad Dao followed the crowd to the gate of the Zheng Family's mansion.

The open space in front of the mansion gate was larger than a training ground, and at this moment it was filled with banquet tables, their surfaces covered with bright red brocade, set with matching gold cups and silver plates; each table piled with prized spirit fruits and fine wine, the aromas of alcohol and fruit mingling, carried outward by the evening breeze.

Long Bad Dao inhaled forcefully through his nose, then smacked his lips.

"The Zheng Family really spares no expense. If a spirit fruit from this table were taken outside, it could sell for several million each."

Jiang Feng said nothing. His gaze swept over the banquet tables and landed on the brightly lit main hall straight ahead.

The main hall's great doors stood open, inside a scarlet carpet stretched from the entrance all the way to the high platform at the deepest end.

On the platform were two wide Purple Sandalwood Chairs, each covered with bright‑yellow brocade cushions. Behind the chairs hung a massive Golden Curtain embroidered with a dragon and a phoenix intertwined.

The side chambers on both sides were already filled with people, seated from the inner to the outer according to rank.

Closest to the center were the Family Heads of the Yunding Three Families and the sect‑level Masters of various sects; farther out were the direct‑line Disciples of each clan and the outstanding youths of the younger generation.

Jiang Feng and Long Bad Dao were assigned seats toward the back on the east side.

The moon above, larger than the one outside by more than a circle, rose to mid‑air, its pale silver light spilling onto the ground as if a thin frost had been laid down.

The entire Zheng Family mansion was bathed in overlapping moonlight and the glow of red lanterns, light and shadow interlacing, exuding an indescribable solemnity and oppression.

A drumbeat suddenly sounded from deep within the main hall.

Dong.

The low, heavy thud made the wine glasses on the tables tremble slightly.

Then more drumbeats joined, the rhythm growing faster and denser, like a heart pounding faster in the chest.

All the clamor ceased at that moment. The gazes of the hundreds present swiveled in unison toward the main hall's entrance.

Zheng Yuanshen emerged from the side door, wearing a brand‑new deep‑red robe embroidered with golden auspicious clouds at the collar and cuffs; his smile was a few shades brighter than when he had been by the river during the day.

He stepped onto the high platform, turned to face the assembled guests, and raised his clasped fists above his head.

"Everyone! Today is the wedding day of my Zheng Family Young Master Zheng Tong and Qingxiao Sect Saintess Lin Qinghan!"

His voice, wrapped in true‑qi, carried out so that each word landed clearly in every person's ears.

"We are deeply grateful that you have traveled countless miles to the Yunding Secret Realm to witness the ceremony; the Zheng Family thanks you beyond words!"

After speaking, he bowed deeply.

Jiang Feng did not move.

He remained seated, his gaze piercing the gaps in the crowd, fixed on the far end of the scarlet carpet.

After Zheng Yuanshen straightened, he clapped his palms; all the lights in the main hall dimmed for an instant, then flared up again, a few shades brighter than before.

Musicians on both sides simultaneously played a festive ceremonial piece, with chimes, zithers, and jade flutes sounding together, the music solemn and grand.

"Please, the groom!"

Zheng Yuanshen's voice rose above the music, echoing throughout the hall.

A massive screen on the inner side of the hall slowly split apart from both sides, and a tall, robust figure emerged from behind it.

The person stood nearly two meters tall, broad‑shouldered and broad‑backed, clad in a large red Red Wedding Gown with a gold belt studded with jade buckles at the waist. His face was square and regular, with thick brows and large eyes; his features were not particularly fierce.

He stepped to the front of the high platform, stood still, hands hanging at his sides, his gaze sweeping over the guests, pausing briefly before a grin spread across his mouth.

"Zheng Tong…"

Long Bad Dao, still holding half a spirit fruit in his mouth, muttered indistinctly.

"He's grown another circle since we last saw him."

Jiang Feng's gaze shifted from Zheng Tong and settled again on the space behind the screen in the main hall.

Zheng Yuanshen clapped his hands again.

At that moment the music changed key, shifting from a celebratory rhythm to a more melodious, elegant silk‑and‑bamboo sound.

"Please, the bride!"

The collective breaths of the hall lightened slightly at that instant.

Behind the screen a soft glow illuminated; the light was pale blue, bearing a cool, pure quality that starkly contrasted with the hall's red lanterns.

Then the light moved.

A slender figure slowly stepped out from behind the screen.

Lin Qinghan wore a large red bridal gown, embroidered with gold thread in a pattern of a hundred birds paying homage to a phoenix; every stitch was exquisitely fine, glittering splendidly under the lights.

A red veil covered her head, its edges dangling tiny golden tassels that swayed slightly with her steps.

Her steps were steady, her back straight, hands clasped before her as she walked toward the high platform step by step.

Everyone's gaze in the hall focused on her, yet the cool aura around her remained unmoved, as if she were walking a path only hers, separated from the scorching glances by an invisible pane of glass.

Jiang Feng's eyes landed on Lin Qinghan, his pupils narrowing slightly.

He sensed it.

Something had sealed the true‑qi within Lin Qinghan's body.

The sealing force was not brute, but exceedingly precise, as if a razor‑thin chisel had etched a mark on each meridian, causing her internal true‑qi to solidify completely.

Jiang Feng's gaze shifted from Lin Qinghan, passing through the crowd's gaps, and settled beside the innermost table on the west side of the hall.

Lan Jue sat there.

She wore a simple moon‑white robe, starkly out of place among the surrounding flamboyant festive attire.

The string of beads in her hand continued to turn at an unhurried pace, her face bearing a faint smile almost imperceptible, her gaze fixed on the direction Lin Qinghan came from, as if admiring a work she herself had crafted.

Jiang Feng tapped his finger lightly on the armrest of the seat.

Lin Qinghan walked to the front of the high platform and halted a half step beside Zheng Tong.

Zheng Tong turned his head toward her, a blush spreading across his simple face; his lips moved as if to speak but he couldn't find words. He raised his hand to grasp Lin Qinghan's, withdrew halfway, scratched the back of his head, and let out a chuckle.

Zheng Yuanshen watched this scene, and the Laughter on his face deepened a few points.

"The auspicious moment has arrived!"

He had just begun to announce that the wedding ceremony was officially starting, but before he finished, Long Bad Dao's voice drowned him out.

"Wait a moment!"

Long Bad Dao stood up.

He tossed the half‑gnawed spirit fruit in his hand onto the Table, hands on his hips, his voice rough and bright as if fearing someone might not hear.

"May I ask Old Master Zheng and Young Master Zheng, I have something to ask!"

The guests' gazes swept together toward the last Table on the east side.

The Laughter on Zheng Yuanshen's face paused briefly, but quickly Recovery to normal. He turned to look at Long Bad Dao and bowed his hands.

"Young Master Long, what guidance do you have?"

Long Bad Dao lifted his chin, nudged the Mouth of Lin Qinghan on the High Platform, his voice so loud that Throughout the hall buzzed.

"This Lin Shengnü seems not very willing about this marriage, doesn't she?"

The words left his mouth, and the hall erupted in uproar.

Those guests who had been whispering suddenly closed their Mouths, chopsticks hung in midair, wine cups stopped at the Mouth, Hundred eyes shifted from Long Bad Dao to Lin Qinghan, then from Lin Qinghan to Zheng Yuanshen's face.

Zheng Yuanshen's complexion sank for a moment.

But that gaze showed for only a moment before being withdrawn. Zheng Yuanshen smiled again, the smile identical to before.

"Young Master Long is joking. This marriage was decided jointly by the Master of the Lan Sect of Qingxiao Sect and my Zheng Family, so where does unwillingness come from?"

He turned his head toward Lin Qinghan on the High Platform.

"Qinghan, what do you say?"

Lin Qinghan's red cap twitched slightly.

The guests' gazes reconvened on her, waiting for her to speak. The air was so still that a few distant dog barks could be heard.

Then she spoke.

"I do not wish to."

Only three words, yet like a huge Stone crashing into calm water.

Throughout the Zheng Family mansion, at that moment, everything exploded into chaos.