Chapter 21: Disrupting the Ceremony

Amidst the sound of firecrackers, the bridegroom Qin Shuang stood tall and straight, watching the bride slowly walking toward him; his heart was filled with excitement, for he was finally about to end his life as a bachelor.

He stepped forward to take hold of Kong Ci, and the two newlyweds stood side by side, facing Xiongba.

At this moment, the Grand Steward Wen Chouchou made his entrance; he was serving as the temporary master of ceremonies for this grand event. He looked at the guests before him, took out his script, and began to read:

"Honored heroes and brave men, today is the wedding ceremony of Kong Ci, the adopted daughter of our Under Heaven Society's Leader Xiongba, and Qin Shuang, Hall Master of Tianshuang Hall. I, Wen Chouchou, on behalf of our Under Heaven Society, thank you all for coming to offer your congratulations. I hope you all eat happily and drink to your heart's content. If there is any lack of hospitality, I ask for your generous understanding."

He looked around, signaled for the ceremonial music to grow louder, and then proceeded straight to the main topic:

"Now, the two newlyweds shall formally begin the wedding ceremony. First, bow to heaven and earth..."

Before he could finish his first sentence, Bu Jingyun stood out from the crowd: "I do not agree. Kong Ci cannot marry Hall Master Shuang."

Kong Ci pulled off her veil and looked at Bu Jingyun with a face full of shock; she dared not imagine that Bu Jingyun would actually dare to stand out on such an occasion.

Wen Chouchou forcibly swallowed the lines in his mouth and cast an encouraging look at Bu Jingyun.

Everyone present, including Duan Fengyun, was silently watching Bu Jingyun's next move.

Bu Jingyun strode forward with great momentum, pulled Kong Ci from Qin Shuang's hands, and intended to take her away.

Xiongba rebuked him angrily: "Bu Jingyun, what are you doing in front of all the heroes of the world? Today is the big day for your senior brother Qin Shuang; what kind of decorum is it to snatch away your sister-in-law in public?"

Bu Jingyun walked while looking back and said: "I care not for any martial arts morality; I only want Kong Ci."

Xiongba scolded Qin Shuang: "Qin Shuang, are you just going to watch as Bu Jingyun takes your wife away and lets you lose face in front of the heroes of the world?"

He fanned the flames from the middle, hoping the two would kill each other.

Hearing this, Qin Shuang rushed forward immediately. Duan Fengyun, Nie Feng, and Youruo also hurriedly followed.

Mindful of their brotherhood, Qin Shuang did not attack Bu Jingyun directly as Xiongba had hoped, but instead asked:

"Junior Brother Yun, why are you doing this? Master has already betrothed Kong Ci to me."

Bu Jingyun replied: "None of this was Kong Ci's own will; Kong Ci has long been mine."

Qin Shuang looked at Kong Ci as if struck by a thunderbolt and asked loudly:

"Kong Ci, is everything Junior Brother Yun said true?"

After receiving Kong Ci's affirmative reply, Qin Shuang was devastated. He had thought Bu Jingyun was the one breaking up his good fortune with Kong Ci, but he never expected that he was the villain, the one who had broken up someone else's good fortune.

Qin Shuang stood frozen in place, while Bu Jingyun pulled Kong Ci and quickened his pace again; seeing this, Nie Feng jumped out.

"Senior Brother Yun, today is a joyous day for Senior Brother Shuang and the Under Heaven Society. I will not let you take Kong Ci away and let the Under Heaven Society and Senior Brother Shuang lose face before the heroes of the world."

Nie Feng tried to persuade Bu Jingyun.

At this moment, Bu Jingyun was already burning with rage; he had not expected that while pursuing the happiness that belonged to him, he would be blocked by everyone, and he shouted:

"Today I must take Kong Ci away! Those who block me shall die!"

He let go of the hand he was holding Kong Ci with and began to fight Nie Feng directly.

Watching this scene, Xiongba laughed inwardly: "Fight, fight! It would be best if all four of you kill each other, letting me sit back and reap the rewards."

Duan Fengyun kept his eyes fixed on the two fighting and Kong Ci; if any situation arose, he would immediately step in to save them.

Bu Jingyun's Cloud-Seizing Palm was naturally a counter to Nie Feng's Wind God Leg, and with Nie Feng holding back at every turn, he soon fell into a disadvantage.

Seeing Nie Feng at a disadvantage, Bu Jingyun showed no regard for their past brotherhood and struck a palm toward Nie Feng's chest.

In this life, Kong Ci had no romantic feelings for Nie Feng, so she did not step forward to block this fatal blow for him. But Duan Fengyun, who had been watching the battle for a long time, had been prepared; he channeled his True Qi for the Cloud-Seizing Palm and struck out with a palm as well. The two Cloud-Seizing Palms collided, instantly snapping the nearby pillars.

Bu Jingyun stared fixedly at Duan Fengyun and asked: "Junior Brother Duan, are you prepared to fight me today as well?"

Duan Fengyun did not want his good intentions to be taken as malice, so he quickly explained: "Senior Brother Yun, don't misunderstand. I just couldn't bear to see us brothers killing each other, so I stepped in to stop you. Now, please carry on."

Duan Fengyun sent an encouraging look to Bu Jingyun, urging him to leave quickly. After Bu Jingyun responded with a look of gratitude, he took Kong Ci's hand and left again.

But how could Xiongba be willing to let Bu Jingyun leave just like that? Seeing his plan had failed, Xiongba had no choice but to take action himself.

Xiongba roared at Bu Jingyun: "Bu Jingyun, I, Xiongba, have treated you well. Why have you committed such an act of betraying your master and destroying your ancestors? Today, I will personally purge the sect."

Without waiting for Bu Jingyun to reply, Xiongba rushed forward to fight him. Bu Jingyun's learned Cloud-Seizing Palm was incomplete, and Xiongba used lethal moves from the start; within a few exchanges, Bu Jingyun was defeated.

Xiongba did not let Bu Jingyun off just like that; the Three Points Origin Qi flowed through his entire body, and he immediately unleashed the Three Points Divine Finger upon Bu Jingyun.

Duan Fengyun had just saved Nie Feng and could not afford to be distracted now, so he used the final move of the Cloud-Seizing Palm to resist Xiongba.

Xiongba had not expected anyone to intervene, so he had held back and not used his full strength. The two great arts collided; Xiongba retreated a few steps, while Duan Fengyun was sent flying several meters away. His internal True Qi surged, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. No matter how much he had calculated, he was still no match for absolute strength.

Xiongba looked at Duan Fengyun and asked suspiciously: "How do you know the final move of the Cloud-Seizing Palm?"

Duan Fengyun looked at Xiongba and mocked: "You refused to teach me, so I had no choice but to steal the knowledge myself."

Hearing this, Xiongba roared: "You entered my secret chamber and stole my Cultivation Method? Today I will destroy you first."

Just as Xiongba was about to strike, Nie Feng knelt down to plead for Duan Fengyun and Bu Jingyun:

"Master, although Senior Brother Yun and Junior Brother Duan have offended you, their crimes do not warrant death. I beg you, Master, to show mercy."

Xiongba was burning with rage over Duan Fengyun sneaking into the secret chamber; he no longer cared about keeping up appearances and said directly:

"No matter who comes today, these two are certain to die."

Duan Fengyun looked at Nie Feng, and seeing that Nie Feng was still standing on Xiongba's side, he shouted:

"Senior Brother Feng, you have always said the Fire Qilin was the murderer of your father. I tell you now, the person who caused your family to be broken and destroyed is Xiongba. Xiongba seduced your mother, which led to your father dueling Xiongba, only to be knocked into Lingyun Cave and captured by the Fire Qilin. The culprit behind all of this is Xiongba."

Nie Feng felt as if struck by a thunderbolt; he looked at Xiongba and asked for the truth:

"Master, is everything Junior Brother Duan said true?"

Seeing that things had reached this point, Xiongba no longer hid it: "That's right. Ten years ago, it was I who used wealth and status to lure your mother away from you and your father. Then I used your mother to force your father to duel me."

Nie Feng looked at Xiongba with bloodshot eyes; he never expected that the person he had called Master for ten years was actually the great enemy who had destroyed his family, killed his father, and taken his mother. He shouted directly: "Xiongba, return my father's life!"

Having said that, Nie Feng swept his Wind God Leg toward Xiongba, but like Bu Jingyun, he had not learned the final move, and having been injured by Bu Jingyun earlier, Nie Feng was struck down by Xiongba in a single move.

After several rounds, all three except for Qin Shuang had been severely injured by Xiongba, and they were all about to lose their lives right there.