Li Yang got up from his seat and pushed open the door, the two young girls waiting outside jumping thanks to being startled. But they quickly got to doing their job, slowly walking forward and tossing out blue and yellow petals from their interspatial ring. Li Yang and Mei Kongxu left the house and followed after the two girls, stepping on the petals as they slowly made their way through the sect.

Their path had been planned and announced in advance so there were countless people watching them from the side, even the normal people working for either of the two sects lining up to observe the newlywed couple. The path was quite long and winding so even though Li Yang had gotten up as the sun rose, it would already be approaching late afternoon by the time they actually reached the main hall where the feast and official ceremony would take place.

The marriage of such-highly ranked children like them was a joyous occasion to the entire sect, otherwise, there was no way they would bother with this entire parade to show them off. But Li Yang also knew that there was one other purpose behind this parade, and just as he expected, they were interrupted by a loud shout merely two hours after they started walking.

"Halt! I object to this! You cannot take her!"

A youth clad in light yellow robes muscled his way through the people lining Li Yang and Mei Kongxu's path, his sharp face red with agitation. His black hair was in disarray as he glared at Li Yang, breathing heavily as if he had run here with all his might. He had the aura of someone at the middle-stage of the Human Rune realm, he felt quite close to the late stage so he had probably already carved 6 runes. The youth jumped in front of Li Yang and Mei Kongxu, blocking their path with a frenzied gaze.

"No, I won't let you take her! Junior Sister Kongxu does not belong at the side of a lazy bag of bones like you! She deserves someone who can at least protect her and take her serious, a clown like you does not have that right!"

The youth wasn't shy about voicing his thoughts, he was clearly someone from the World-Rending Behemoth sect who was infatuated with Mei Kongxu and couldn't bear to see her get married to someone else. It would normally be hard to get in an objection, but if he did it here during their wedding, he could take it all the way to the sect elders and show that he was more worthy. The youth felt that it was a good plan, but Li Yang only looked at him with derision, as well as a very soft touch of pity.

"If anyone of us is a clown, then trust me, it's you. They've dolled you up so nicely in clown makeup and silly robes, but you've shoved your head so far up your own ass that you can't even see the truth. I'd normally have a fair bit of fun with a joker like you, but I'm trying to get this marriage over with, so please just scram."

When it came to a matter like a marriage to tie the two sects closer, one that would even be held with the elders of other sects present, how could either of the two sects allow people like this youth to roam around freely? For this youth to make it here, the only explanation was that the two sects had allowed it, probably even encouraged it from the shadows.

After all, Li Tian had already told Li Yang that it would be up to him when it came to how he would deal with those who would resist or be displeased about the wedding. And pushing forth someone who did just that would be the best way to showcase just how Li Yang would act, Li Tian was confident that it would be a good showing of force.

Li Yang even guessed that the two sects had fed this youth false information about Li Yang's strength, otherwise he wouldn't be so foolish as to step forth on his own. But just like Li Yang said, the youth was too obsessed with his own delusion to realize the truth, raising his hand and stretching out all five fingers.

"You are the one who should scram! I'll give you five seconds to publically announced your displeasure with this marriage, otherwise, I'll have to take more drastic action!"

The onlookers were acting as if there was a good show to see, but Li Yang only felt like he was looking at an idiot. Even Mei Kongxu was starting to show some cracks in her icy facade, neither of them sure exactly what sort of bullshit the sects had fed this youth to make him act this idiotic. But the youth failed to realize the truth behind their expressions, slowly lowering his fingers one by one.

"5!"

"4!"

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

Li Yang stepped forward the moment only the youth's index finger was raised, reaching his front in the blink of an eye. The two sects probably had people hidden all around them to keep an eye on this event, ready to report to their superiors at a moment's notice. And since the sects were so interested in seeing how he was planning on dealing with people who were displeased with his marriage, he would show them.

He grabbed onto the youth's outstretched finger and yanked it to the side, breaking the bones in it and bending it so fiercely to the side that it was practically horizontal.

"0, now what will you do?"

Li Yang's gaze remained nonchalant, but the youth was flabbergasted. The pain didn't even register straight away as he looked dumbly at his broken finger, he hadn't expected Li Yang to just charge forward and break his finger so quickly. A slightly hoarse growl escaped his lips as the pain hit him, but Li Yang stopped even that growl with a slap.

"It doesn't matter what I feel about this wedding, Mei Kongxu and I are going to get married here today, no one can stop that. We'll be tied together whether we like it or not, I'll be hers and she'll be mine. And I'll tell you this, I don't abandon what's mine, no matter who wants to lay their hands on it. Now scram before I get a hold of the rest of your fingers!"

The slap was supported with enough strength to make the youth lose his balance and spin to the side, Li Yang's leg flashing forward and kicking the youth's butt. The crowd opened a small path as the youth stumbled forward and fell to the ground, Li Yang turning his gaze away in a disinterested manner.

This habit of the sect was one that was really annoying, what point was there in testing his reaction now that he had already agreed to the marriage? It wasn't like his answer would change all of a sudden, what was his was his, he wouldn't abandon it no matter who came knocking.

Mei Kongxu hadn't interfered from the very start, she knew that this first youth was left for Li Yang, hers would come later. But a faint light did flash through her eyes when Li Yang kicked the youth away, repeating the words he had told her so arrogantly when they first met, I don't abandon what's mine.

The two started walking again as if the youth hadn't interrupted them at all, the two girls ahead of them continuing to throw flower petals in their path. And an hour and a half later, a girl blocked their path to stop the two of them, proudly shouting about her love for Li Yang.

But what a shame for her that Mei Kongxu had even less intention to humour these trials that the sect brought forward. She didn't even give the girl a chance to say her second sentence before she stepped forward and slapped her aside, maintaining her cold facade.

"Just scram, I would have refused earlier if I was going to protest this wedding."

She was far less long-winded than Li Yang, but the meaning behind her words was the same, she agreed to or had at least come to terms with the marriage. The two continued to walk down the pre-planned path, but Li Yang made sure to snicker bashfully as he walked with Mei Kongxu.

"Oh, Fairy Sister Kongxu acted so swiftly and brutally that it almost made my heart flutter, I didn't know that you looked forward to our wedding this much."

Mei Kongxu adopted the age-old tactic of just ignoring him, the two finally able to walk without the sects throwing any more silly trials their way. Thanks to this, they managed to reach the open doors of the massive dome only an hour before the sun would touch the horizon, an elderly woman already standing there waiting for them.

"Tie yourself together in spirit and in flesh."

The woman handed them a long crimson silk band, the two exchanging rings before holding hands and using their remaining hand to tie their enclosed hands together. The elderly woman took a step to the side so that she didn't step on the crimson carpet, walking alongside it as she guided Li Yang and Mei Kongxu down to the two elevated sections. Once they reached the front of the slightly lower elevated section, the woman guided them through the official rites.

"Bow to the heavens."

The two turned around and faced the open doors, bowing respectfully and keeping their heads lowered for a few seconds before they straightened their backs. The woman spoke up once more, both of them turning around to face the highest elevated section.

"Bow to your elders."

The two bowed once more to the eight people sitting in the highest position in the entire hall. Two of the eight people were obviously Li Yang's father and Mei Kongxu's mother, but the last six were high-ranking elders from the other allied sects and clans.

Li Yang didn't recognize the people themselves, but he recognized their robes. One came from the 95th ranked Blood Sword Sect, one from the 96th ranked Soul Dancer sect, one from the 87th ranked Long clan, one from the 89th ranked Sky-Burning Hawk sect, one from the 91st ranked Fiend's Heart sect, and one from the 97th ranked Jueli clan. These eight organizations had always been rather close allies, especially now that the 100th ranked Heaven's Gate sect was growing stronger by the day.

They straightened their backs once more after they finished their bows, the elderly woman calling out the final bow they had to take.

"Bow to each other."

The two faced each other and bowed once more, but this time it was only a short bow where they rose right back up. After all, compared to their elders and the heavens, the respect they had to show each other could only be called minimal, putting the three on the same level might even be seen as blasphemous. With the bows finished, the elderly woman called out in a loud and shrill voice that reached every corner of the hall.

"The heavens and your elders have born witness to your bows, now no force in existence can deny your marriage. I hereby declare you husband and wife, to support each other in peril and in peace, to raise each other up no matter the depths you fall to. Let the feast commence!"

Li Yang and Mei Kongxu ascended onto the elevated section in front of them and sat down, their clasped hands remaining tied together as they seated themselves so that they were only below the eight elders from the various sects.

Food was quickly brought out from the various side rooms and spread out to the scattered tables, everyone quickly beginning to eat and drink. They only had one hand available to them so it became inevitable that Li Yang and Mei Kongxu had to help each other eat, both of them sweeping the guests beneath them with somewhat wistful eyes.

Li Yang's mother wasn't present due to her condition, and Mei Kongxu's father wasn't present either, but Li Yang didn't know quite why. But looking at her wistful eyes it was clear that his absence affected even someone as cold as her.

While they were eating, people would also occasionally step forward and present the newlywed couple with gifts, they had to give the couple something after all. The feast only went on for about two hours before the shrill voice of the elderly woman once again sounded out and drew everyone's attention.

"The bows have been made, the gifts have been delivered, and the feast has finished. Bride, Groom, please head to the nuptial chambers and finalize your union in the flesh!"

It was a wedding after all so it could only end in one manner, the hall quieting down as Li Yang and Mei Kongxu stood up. The elderly woman guided them to the only door in the hall that had remained closed up until now, stepping aside as she opened it.

The circular room they stepped into only contained a single silk-sheet covered bed, one that was easily large enough to hold both of them. The door was closed behind them, Li Yang reaching out with his free hand and activating the array that locked the room. Once they were away from prying eyes, he undid the red silk that tied their hands together and stretched his body, rubbing his neck while letting out a breath.

"Tch, they really like sitting above us despite the fact that it should be our big day, didn't they?"

It was their wedding, a day that should be the happiest in their life, but they couldn't even sit in the highest honour seats. They even had to take a backseat to people who only visited their sect once every 100 years or so, it was quite far removed from what he envisioned a wedding should be. Mei Kongxu maintained her icy exterior and sat down on the bed without saying anything, Li Yang ignoring her actions as he finished stretching his body.

"But alright, now the worst part is over, all that remains is to meet up with Mother and Father tomorrow, after that we can leave and check out the places we've uncovered so far."

They were both quite eager to learn the truth about their visions so they would obviously head out as quickly as they could. And if people wound it strange that they left the sect right after getting married then they could just say that it was a honeymoon, there wasn't really anything that could be said against that.

Li Yang glanced over at Mei Kongxu's chilly expression, focusing on the wavering light that swam around in her eyes. They were about to complete their union as husband and wife, and not even someone as cold as Mei Kongxu was able to face that fact as stoically as normal.

After all, she was about to give her precious virginity to a man she didn't truly love. But as she sat there, Li Yang swiped his interspatial ring and took out a small dagger. He walked over to the bed and pulled aside the top cover before he used the dagger to make a small cut in his palm, spreading the blood on the white sheets in front of Mei Kongxu's slightly surprised and confused eyes.

"What are you..."

Li Yang merely shrugged his shoulders in response to her confusion, putting away the dagger and pulling out a vial filled with a light green paste. He applied the paste to the small cut to accelerate the healing process, maintaining his usual nonchalance and carefreeness.

"They'll check here tomorrow morning and will grow suspicious if there's no blood. You don't have a special physique, nor are you so strong that the presence of your Vital Yin is noticeable. They also won't bother investigating this blood deeply, they'll only care that there's some blood they can use as proof."

The Vital Yin was the virgin energy every woman had, but it would only be noticeable when she got stronger or if she had an abnormal physique, it was also only then that it would be useful. The same was true for men, who had Vital Yang that was highly useful to female cultivators. Mei Kongxu was still rather surprised by his actions, she had seen his playboy like actions more than once after all. But he simply shrugged his shoulders again, not bothered by her confusion and surprise.

"Don't look at me like that. True, we're bound to do it sooner or later, but that doesn't mean we'll have to do it now, we can leave it for the future. I'm not so low that I'll just sleep with anyone, especially someone who doesn't have feelings for me."

Li Yang was a carefree man who enjoyed taunting and humiliating others, but he was also proud and arrogant so that meant that there were things he wasn't willing to do. He had a bottom line that he refused to cross, no matter how silly it may seem to others.

He walked over to the corner of the room after he gave his explanation, leaning against the wall as he sat down and closed his eyes, waving his hand in a casual manner.

"You can take the bed, I sleep less than you so this is enough for me. And don't worry about this getting heard, this chamber is specifically constructed to be both soundproof and impenetrable to other peoples senses."

Mei Kongxu tilted her head somewhat quizically at Li Yang, her gaze momentarily lingering on the paste he had smeared on his palm.