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Chapter 254 The Arrival of a Hundred Immortals
On that broad street, a huge crowd gathered on both sides. People swarmed, crowding to stare at the procession of the carriage from the Hai family to the Yi family for the wedding.
The wedding carriage of the Hai family was built completely from gold, from the body of the carriage to the wheels. Detailed patterns adorned the cart, dragons and phoenixes curling together for a truly magnificent sight to behold.
The eight-headed Qilin horse pulled the cart. Given that the Hai family was in charge of attending to the affairs of the East State imperial family, of course they would have the power and wealth to have a Qilin horse pulling their carriages.
Although the eight-headed Qilin horse wasn’t nearly as impressive as the old emperor’s twelve-headed one, it was more than enough to show the elegant dominance of the Hai family. Each step it took was slow and ceremonious, giving off the royal air of an emperor surveying the crowds.
Around the golden carriage, ninety-nine royal guards of the Hai family marched along slowly, each with a staff in their hands. Ninety-nine comely beauties walked alongside them, playing instruments of all kinds. Melodious music filled the air.
Riding his dragon scale horse, Hai Ya stalked through the streets with his head held high and a smug look on his face. He looked prouder than ever.
“Congratulations, Mr. Hai Ya!” Someone in the crowd exclaimed, “You’re about to return home with a beauty in your arms.”
“Haha, thank you for your wishes. This time my family is holding a seven-day banquet. Hopefully everyone will humble themselves to come along for a drink or two.”
Even as he said the words aloud, Hai Ya snorted to himself.
“Yi Zhenluo, you’re mine. Xuan Yuan? Two years ago, all the Hai family’s battle immortals fell to that fight. Only the old emperor himself even managed to return, but with wounds to heavy he passed away after a few days as well. Among all the other powers, only the old head of ‘Ling Long Immortals’ Hall’ survived with a few generations of sacred nuns. All the others–’Dragon-battling Immortals’ Hall’, the Lightning King, the old Soul-Stealing Demon–all of those strong warriors fell to the battle. How could Xuan Yuan not have fallen as well?”
“Xuan Yuan, Xuan Yuan. Why’d you just die on me like that? I’d love for you to come see my wedding. Didn’t you just love your master Yi Zhenluo? What a pity that she’s about to marry me! I wonder how you would’ve reacted if you saw it all in person. Pain? Powerlessness? Hahahaha!”
Hai Ya felt lighthearted. Two years ago Xuan Yuan had had the guts to come into the Hai family and set fire to the place. No one else knew it was Xuan Yuan but Hai Ya. He would never mistake Xuan Yuan’s voice for someone else’s. Who knew that he would have the balls to burn down the Hai family’s house? The incident left all the awe-inspiring beings that dwelled with the Hai family livid.
The procession before and after the carriage were long, and went on slowly like a trail of monks, dragging the whole line out into the shape of a dragon that swam lazily to the door of General Yi’s home.
The Yi home rose before them in a majestic fashion, surrounded by an air of deep hostility.
Seeing the two from the Yi home equipped with golden armor and an iron-plated horse, it wasn’t hard to discern that they must emerge from under the hand of a tyrant. Seeing them alone was like seeing armies crashing together–enough to send one’s heart into shock.
“Hai Ya from the Hai family has arrived for his bride!” shouted one of the royal guards.
The doors of the Yi home swung open slowly, with a sound like rolling thunder. Two lines of servant girls walked out, laying down a bright red carpet on the ground.
Colorful flower petals drifted from above, drawing countless butterflies of all colors to flutter closer. They danced in the intoxicating aroma of the flowers.
A woman in red wearing a coronet walked out. On the coronet, a pair of golden wings shuddered. Beneath the coronet, her brow tapered like the waist of a willow. Her eyes were bright, her red lips tender. Yet for all her beauty, her expression was utterly cold and without tenderness.
Each breath she took seemed to express an otherworldly intensity. The curtain of petals fluttering down seemed to be ripped apart by her very presence, sending a chill down the spines of many onlookers.
“May the bride please enter the carriage!”
The red carpet rolled out to the foot of the golden carriage. Yi Zhenluo’s red shoes began to take one slow step after another.
Right then, a strong gust of wind blew from the sky. Standing in midair, a man snorted with contempt.
“Stop right there! If the Yi family won’t give my ‘Dragon-battling Immortal Hall’ an answer right now, don’t even think about hosting this wedding!”
It was Feng Lie. In just two years, his improvement left everyone dumbfounded. Each unfurling of his potential had become so quick it was explosive. From his original “King-battling realm,” he had risen up through the ranks to the “six-ranked battle emperor realm.”
Some fearful whispers even told of him killing a battle immortal in the emperor realm.
Raising her head with the utmost calm, Yi Zhenluo looked up at Feng Lie, speaking in a quiet voice.
“Sir Feng Lie, why must you act out so?”
“Hmph! The five immortals from my hall were invited by Yi Qianxun to weld an artifact at the Yi home. Now it’s been two years, and I haven’t heard even a whisper back from any of the five! Did the Yi family really think I would just let this go so easily?” Feng Lie spoke in commanding tones. The intensity he radiated was no less potent than that of Yi Zhenluo’s.
Feng Lie didn’t even glance at Hai Ya throughout all of this. Hai Ya felt as though he had been slapped in the face in front of everyone. Fixing his gaze on Feng Lie, he thundered:
“Feng Lie, my wedding takes place today. On a day full of joy like this, can’t you postpone your complaints? Just give me this moment.”
Glancing over at Hai Ya, Feng Lie laughed out loud.
“Who the hell do you think you are? Giving you this moment? Son of a bitch, get out of my way. I still haven’t come for you after the rumors you spread about my fellow apprentice Xuan Yuan. Out of my way!”
Feng Lie’s arrogant words hit Hai Ya hard. Expression hardening, he snarled:
“I see that you’re not taking the easy way out. I’ll just have to ask my elders to lend a hand and lay waste to your body and your abilities to set an example of what happens when you disrespect my family.”
Battle immortals streaked toward Feng Lie with terrifying speed and power. Even though he was pushed back by their sheer energy, Feng Lie showed no fear. Onlookers felt an oppressive air set in, so much so that they had trouble breathing.
“Feng Immortal.” The battle immortals of the Hai family had their faces set in grave lines.
“Do you really think you can do whatever you want in the East State capital city?” one of them said.
“I have no intention to make new enemies. As long as the Yi family lets the five immortals out, we’ll leave in peace. If they refuse, I’m willing to fight.” The Immortal Feng stepped into the air. His beard and hair were a wispy white, and his eyes stayed sealed shut in a look of disregard. The moment his words had left his mouth, the energy streaks of battle immortals rose into the air, crisscrossing and letting off a divine glow.
The Hai family’s battle immortals scowled. One of them shouted in anger:
“What a set-up! Hundreds of immortals arrived, all for this. Are the ‘dragon-battlers’ really planning on making war with the East State imperial family?”
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. As long as the Yi family hands over the five immortals, we’ll leave of our own accord,” said the Feng Immortal.
The Hai family’s battle immortals glanced at Yi Zhenluo. Next to her stood two men Yi Tianshang, who had achieved the seventh level of a battle emperor and was only a step away from achieving the rank of battle immortal, and Yi Qianxun.
“Respected elders of the ‘Dragon-battling immortal hall,’ you need not worry. The five immortals are currently forging a prized artifact for the family’s head. It has yet to be finished and cannot suffer any disturbances. If you don’t believe me, I ask that Sir Feng Lie hand this piece of paper to the Feng Immortal. He will verify the truth of what I say.”
Taking a step forward, Yi Qianxun let a piece of paper fly toward Feng Lie. Feng Lie caught it, his brows furrowing the moment he looked at it. He handed it over to the Feng Immortal, who read it. After a pause, he raised his head and spoke again:
“All right. If that’s the case, we’ll give the Yi family six more months. If the five immortals haven’t emerged by then, don’t blame us for being uncourteous in response. Lie, come on!”
Feng Lie’s expression hardened. “But
”
A flash of thought passed into Feng Lie’s mind from the Feng Immortal:
“I understand that your purpose is somewhere else. You wish to stop Yi Zhenluo and Hai Ya from getting married. But if Xuan Yuan doesn’t show up, all that we’re doing is drawing the fury of the East State’s imperial family. We won’t be able to handle all of them in combat. Let’s go now; things have already come to a tense moment. If Xuan Yuan doesn’t show up, all of this is ultimately for nothing.”
Feng Lie’s eyes narrowed. He shot a cold look at Hai Ya, then laughed.
“Well, well. Now our business with the Yi family is almost over
but Hai Ya, back then you spread those rumors about my apprentice brother Xuan Yuan, claiming that he obtained a treasure of immortality. He was chased down by countless people seeking the artifact. Now it’s time for me to pay you back in kind. If you fight me now and win, I’ll let you off the hook. If not, you’ll be lucky to survive.”
Hai Ya’s face turned a nasty color. In the past he wouldn’t be afraid of Feng Lie. But now that he’d advanced to the six-ranked emperor realm and obtained the top ten battle winds, “extreme heavenly wind”, even if he himself possessed several types of battle waters, it wasn’t certain enough that he would win.
“Feng Lie, don’t be unreasonable like this. This happened long in the past–not to mention, Xuan Yuan set fire to the Hai home, destroying the garden. We forgave that, yet you still return without shame to demand payback. You seem to be seeking chaos rather than justice!” Hai Ya thundered.
Feng Lie was about to speak when a gentle voice interrupted him.
“Feng Lie, if you continue like this, you’ll only be hurting the reputation of the ‘Dragon-battling immortal hall.’ Today is the day that Sir Hai Ya and the second daughter of the Yi family join in happy union; no matter the grudge, you should bring it up in the future. If not, others will say that we’re hostile, ungrateful guests who bully the hosts.”
Looking up, Feng Lie saw that it was Jiang Yitian. His words had killed three birds with one stone: not only raising the reputation of the “Dragon-battling immortal hall”, but also echoing what most of the Hai and Yi families were thinking and successfully diminishing the effect of Feng Lie’s angry words.
Jiang Yitian was clothed in a long robe and wore a gentle expression. He spoke in soft tones, long, narrow eyes trained on Feng Lie before turning to Yi Zhenluo and Hai Ya.
“I would like to humbly wish you two a fortuitous marriage. My apprentice brother Xuan Yuan values his emotional connections and misses his master Miss Yi dearly. He asked me to deliver this gift to you. It’s a small gift, but heavy with fond thought.”
A small gift descended from the heavens. Reaching out, Yi Zhenluo received it in her hands and opened it. It was a beautiful wolf skin.
As if remembering something, her body trembled, red lips shifting in a murmur:
“Gu Xing
”
In that instant, Yi Zhenluo raised her head, looking up coldly at Jiang Yitian in the sky.