Chapter 15: Chapter Fifteen: The Wedding

Daoist Daoist Yangshan lay due north of Lanliang City, no more than a hundred zhang tall, its peaks and scenery utterly ordinary, nothing remarkable about it; not to mention being compared with Xiao Ganshan, even within Rong Kingdom alone, its fame was nothing special.

And this mountain had never originally belonged to Yang Mountain Daoist; it was first inhabited by a group of white foxes, who borrowed the earth's energy and the fortune and virtue of the tens of thousands in Lanliang City to cultivate the Incense and Fire Divine Path here.

It was only that Daoist Daoist Yangshan Daoist, relying on several powerful talismanic artifacts, wounded the leader of those white foxes and burned down their temple, thereby seizing Daoist Daoist Yangshan's foundation by force, and even changed his own Daoist title to the mountain's name, styling himself to the outside world as Daoist Daoist Yangshan Daoist.

"Daoist Daoist Yangshan Daoist displays three talismanic artifacts before the public — the Five Light Pendant, the Six Yin Heaven Ghost Banner, and most importantly, that Thunder Fire Lightning Prime Pearl…"

"Legend has it that the original fox-demon leader cultivating the Incense and Fire Divine Dao here actually had cultivation far surpassing his; she had already initially condensed a divine body and could nearly manifest her holiness before mortals. But Daoist Daoist Yangshan Daoist summoned the Thunder Fire Lightning Prime Pearl and, in a single strike, blasted her divine body into ruin, forcing her to flee in defeat and hand over her foundation."

Inside the great red bridal sedan.

Chen Heng, in phoenix coronet and rosy robes, flashed a glint in his eyes and thought to himself:

"That Thunder Fire Lightning Prime Pearl's might is no small matter — it's not on the same tier as the Five Light Pendant or Six Yin Heaven Ghost Banner; it must be a mid-grade talismanic artifact with eighteen prohibitions, refined twice. To make a move against this old Daoist, I need to lure that pearl over first before acting. Very good, very good."

If the pearl truly was a mid-grade talismanic artifact, then even the entire Daoist Daoist Yangshan foundation would be hard put to weigh against it.

Though the Xuanzhen Sect of Xiao Ganshan was something of a hegemon in the surrounding area.

Even sects like Lianyan Mountain, the Huanhua Sword Sect, and White Crane Abbey — each guarded by a Grotto-Mystery Refiner — had to bow their heads to it and live at its mercy.

But among the Xuanzhen Sect's Qi-refining disciples, those who possessed a mid-grade talismanic artifact were exceedingly few; most still used low-grade talismanic artifacts.

Even someone as destitute as Xu Zhi, though his swordsmanship was superb, couldn't afford even a single low-grade talismanic artifact and could only wield a mortal iron sword slightly sharper than usual.

The Earth Abyss was rife with Yin gods, demons, and ghosts — a place of utter darkness and cold, burying the bones of countless predecessors.

The Thunder Fire Lightning Prime Pearl — just hearing the name told one it belonged to the firm-yang fire element. With such a talismanic artifact at his side, Chen Heng would gain several more layers of protection upon entering the Earth Abyss.

……

As he was pondering, suddenly the clouds at high altitude churned, and faintly there came the whistling sound of escape light piercing the sky.

At this moment.

A gust of wind from unknown origin blew open the curtain, and also blew aside the red veil he had used to cover his face; a lewd gaze, carried by the wind, fell brazenly upon his face.

"Has it come?"

Chen Heng, who had long since used a folk Mi Fa to conceal his Adam's apple, sneered inwardly, didn't move, and only pretended to be a timid, shrinking figure, letting the other look his fill.

Only after six or seven breaths did that gaze, blazing with desire, reluctantly withdraw.

And at this moment.

The black cloud, condensed and fixed by prenatal breath, also descended from on high, and before long, landed at the head of the long procession.

"Wang Duanbao! Good lad, well done on this! Beautifully done! Today I'll reward you by letting you consummate the marriage with your bride!"

Daoist Daoist Yangshan Daoist, who had descended from his cloud, stood with hands on hips, immensely pleased, and said with a grin:

"How about it? Does your daddy love you or not?"

"…He loves me, he loves me."

Wang Wang Duanbao, at the side, felt his heart twitch violently; he slowly lowered his head and answered with a trembling voice.

"Eh, how did you get this injury? I clearly haven't beaten you for half a month now! And where has your cousin gone off to cause trouble? Doesn't he know today is his father's great happy occasion, and he still dares to run wild?!"

"Cousin… said again he wanted to eat Xiao Yu, so I fought him and beat him until he vomited blood."

Following Chen Heng's prior instructions, Wang Wang Duanbao repeated word for word:

"His leg bone broke, so he can't walk; I threw him at the Chen clan and let those mortals look after him."

"You little beast, with not a shred of family affection — truly detestable!"

Daoist Daoist Yangshan Daoist, who had been somewhat suspicious, flew into a great rage upon hearing this and cast that faint, hidden unease in his heart straight beyond the nine heavens.

He leaped forward fiercely and, with a single slap, sent Wang Wang Duanbao tumbling from his horse onto the ground.

"Don't you know our old Wang family is one that passes down its traditions through filial piety and brotherly love? How dare you strike your cousin, with no regard for blood ties? And after all those books of sages I had you read — turns out you read them all into a dog's belly!"

Daoist Daoist Yangshan Daoist, still unsatisfied, viciously delivered another kick to Wang Wang Duanbao, kicking his spine into a bow like a boiled large shrimp.

"It's just one woman — if your cousin wants to eat her, then—"

He hesitated at this point, but recalling the peerless beauty of the little lovely in the sedan, he smacked his lips in indecision, and finally said viciously:

"Then let your cousin eat her!"

"What?!"

Wang Wang Duanbao, who had been clutching his stomach and rolling about, now ignored the searing pain and was so shocked he nearly went stupid: "Father! You're going to kill Xiao Yu?!"

"The old doesn't go, the new doesn't come. Xiao Yu is your old wife; the one in the sedan is your new wife. The new one is far better to look at than the old."

Daoist Daoist Yangshan Daoist didn't think it was a big deal: "Don't you understand this reasoning?"

"But Xiao Yu is my wife! I beg you, pick someone else to give him to eat!"

"Does Laozi need you to teach me how to handle affairs in this life? You wretched son of a straight mother!" Daoist Daoist Yangshan Daoist's face darkened.

And Wang Wang Duanbao, not knowing where the courage suddenly came from, just stood there motionless, glaring at him in fury.

"You rebel!"

Daoist Daoist Yangshan Daoist coldly shouted, his Daoist robe billowing without wind, the fine stones beneath his feet beginning to crumble one by one, crackling sounds rising and falling.

At this moment of taut, drawn-bow tension, a woman's voice — like an oriole leaving the valley — suddenly came from the halted great red sedan, pleasant to the ear, its trailing note exceedingly soft and graceful.

"Aren't we going? Then are we still getting married or not?"

Daoist Daoist Yangshan Daoist was nearly melted to the bone by that voice; his towering fury seemed suddenly doused by a bucket of water.

"Has my beauty grown so impatient for the wedding chamber? Very well! But since my family is after all a household of poetry and books, allow me to first prepare some banquet, then I'll come join you!"

Daoist Daoist Yangshan Daoist first gave Chen Heng a leering grin, then turned to Wang Wang Duanbao with a fierce gaze:

"Today is the great happy day, so this beating is noted for now — I'll deal with you properly later!"

Having said this.

He circulated his prenatal breath once more and, stepping on a black cloud, leisurely flew back up to the high heavens.

And the caravan at the mountain's foot resumed with the sedan hoisted aloft, music blaring, joy filling the air.

"Young Master, I've figured it out!"

Inside that large red sedan chair, apart from speaking up to extricate him just now, Chen Heng had made no further sound.

Wang Wang Duanbao gritted his teeth, leaned close to the sedan chair, and lowered his voice:

"Help me eliminate that old thing, and I am willing to give you sixty percent of the treasures of Mount Yang!"

Inside the soft sedan chair.

No one spoke.

After a long while, only a faint voice drifted into his ears, light, slow, and indifferent:

"Let us speak of these matters later."

……

……

That night.

Mount Yang was decked with lanterns and colorful decorations; from the foot of the mountain to the great hall at its peak, all was brilliant with Ziming Ziming Liuzhu, like sheets of quicksilver spilling across the earth.

Amidst the banquet.

The Daoist of Mount Yang, urged repeatedly by Chen Heng to drink countless cups of wine, had already become slightly drunk; finally, with a sweep of his wide sleeve, he tremblingly drew a large red-and-white pearl from the Universe Bag at his waist.

"Come, come, beauty, this is the great pearl you wished to see, the Thunder-Fire Peal Origin Pearl!"

The Daoist of Mount Yang handed it over cheerfully: "Feel it; is it not very warm... Little Yu, you low woman, do not block my view of the beauty! Scram to the side with Wang Duanbao at once!"

Beside Chen Heng.

A small woman with a deathly pale, gaunt face performed a wanfu bow, then stiffly left the table; she walked stumblingly, like a child who had just learned to toddle.

"Nevertheless, it is indeed a precious pearl."

Only after that small woman had walked far away did Chen Heng leisurely extend his hand to accept it.

"It is just that..."

"Just what?" the Daoist of Mount Yang asked, puzzled.

"It is merely a pity that a bright pearl has been cast into darkness," Chen Heng laughed.

With that laugh.

Not far away, dressed as a servant, Xu Zhi suddenly overturned the banquet table, drew his sword, and lunged to stab at the Daoist of Mount Yang!