Chapter Thirty-Three: The Grand Wedding

Amidst the heavy snowfall, spiritual energy surged and ravaged Shen Ruru’s body, leaving her skin torn and blood streaming down. Many faces in the crowd showed a trace of pity, but none dared to plead with Bai Shengyun on her behalf. Yet even so, Bai Shengyun showed no sign of relenting, as if he meant to end her life right there.

Suddenly, the blizzard abated. Bai Shengyun’s golden eyes locked onto her, and he demanded, “Do you admit your fault?”

Shen Ruru gritted her teeth, wiped the blood from her cheek, and, with unwavering resolve and no hint of repentance, declared, “I do not think I have done anything wrong! I merely love you, that is all!”

In the next instant, the storm returned with renewed fury, tossing her mercilessly through the air. Blood spattered everywhere, turning that small stretch of sky into a rain of crimson. This time, the snowstorm was not simply to wound her; it snapped her bones with audible cracks, the sound making even the cultivators present wince in pain.

Though Shen Ruru had faced death before, she had never suffered such torment. She screamed in agony.

“What did you do wrong?” Bai Shengyun’s voice was cold as he asked again.

Shen Ruru crashed to the ground and summoned a shield of spiritual power, barely managing to shield herself from the raging wind and snow. Yet she still shouted, “I do not believe I am in the wrong!”

Bai Shengyun narrowed his eyes, and a new round of punishment began. This time, her very soul was wounded, leaving Shen Ruru dazed and barely coherent.

Xie Yingying, watching this unfold, heard Shen Ruru’s screams echo in her ears. Unable to bear it, she drew a deep breath and called out boldly, “Bai Shengyun, stop! Any further and you’ll kill her!”

Bai Shengyun sneered, “Such a tender heart. She tried to kill you, and yet you still plead for her? Why?”

Xie Yingying could not make out his words over the wind, but his mocking expression made his meaning clear, filling her with displeasure.

Yet with a life at stake, she could only try again: “Shouldn’t our marriage take precedence? Is the auspicious hour not nearly past?”

At her refusal to answer his question, Bai Shengyun’s mood darkened. With a swift gesture, he withdrew his spiritual power, mounted his horse, and rode off.

“Fine. You’re so eager to marry me? We’ll do it now!” he said in a low voice.

Hearing these words, Xie Yingying’s heart pounded with fear and anxiety. As the grand hall drew ever closer, her panic only grew. Once they were wed, her life would be forfeit.

As soon as Bai Shengyun departed, Shen Ruru fell from the sky like a stone, crashing to the ground, unconscious.

Hidden among the bridal procession, Ning Qingqing, who had originally planned to disrupt the wedding, watched Shen Ruru’s fate with a surge of fear. The members of the bridal party cast Shen Ruru a look of pity, then followed Bai Shengyun away.

Ning Qingqing deliberately lagged behind, falling to the rear of the group. When she saw that they were nearly at the mountaintop hall, she turned and ran toward the unconscious Shen Ruru.

Up close, Ning Qingqing saw that Shen Ruru’s body was covered in blood, wounds so deep the bone showed, half her face smeared with blood she had coughed up. Shocked, Ning Qingqing quickly checked if she was still breathing.

Finding that Shen Ruru yet lived, she swiftly took out a medicine from her sleeve, crushed it, and fed it to her.

After some time, Shen Ruru slowly regained consciousness. Seeing a stranger before her, she immediately shrank away, frowning. “Who are you?”

“I am Ning Qingqing,” she replied.

“Ning Qingqing?” The name lingered on Shen Ruru’s lips, and suddenly she remembered. “You’re that Ning Qingqing from the Immortal Sect?”

Ning Qingqing nodded and smiled gently. “I am.”

Shen Ruru felt little fondness for members of the Immortal Sect, so she only replied coolly, “Thank you for saving me.”

Ning Qingqing smiled and shook her head. “You needn’t thank me. I had my own reasons for helping you.”

“Oh?” Shen Ruru raised an elegant brow.

“I want to join forces with you to eliminate Xie Yingying!” Hatred flickered in Ning Qingqing’s eyes.

“With me?” Shen Ruru glanced at her, instantly judging her cultivation. She gave a scornful laugh. “Your power is paltry—barely equal to that of Xie Yingying. What could you possibly do with me? I can deal with her myself.”

With that, Shen Ruru turned and limped away.

Ning Qingqing watched her receding figure, recalling her expression and tone at those final words. The longer she thought, the more irritated she became, and she spat in the direction of Shen Ruru’s shrinking silhouette.

“Putting on airs, are we? Hmph.” Ning Qingqing sneered, her words dripping with contempt. “She’s just someone the Young Emperor doesn’t care for—humiliated in public, nothing more.”

Meanwhile, inside the magnificent palace with jade balustrades, dozens of elders from the Heavenly Fox Clan sat in the front, exuding a daunting aura. This wedding was grand in every detail: the wedding crowns and ceremonial robes were exquisitely tailored, the spectacle along the procession route had consumed immense resources. The only flaw was that, beside the elders, there was no one to call for the ritual “Heaven and Earth bow.”

Bai Shengyun and Xie Yingying stood side by side—though not hand in hand—at the center of the grand hall.

They offered a slight bow to the elders, after which a maid presented spiritual tea. The two took the tea trays, and under Bai Shengyun’s guidance, presented the tea to the first and second elders.

Afterward, the maid brought two more cups for the third and fourth elders. This process repeated several times, until Xie Yingying’s arms ached—the teacups were full to the brim and heavy.

At length, all the elders had been served. Bai Shengyun and Xie Yingying bowed again. Amusingly, both times their bows were casual and perfunctory, with none of the solemnity expected of such a ceremony—one might think they were playing house.

With the tea ritual complete, the guests began to drink the wedding wine. Some of Bai Shengyun’s kinsmen, already tipsy, pressed fine spirits upon him. Unable to refuse, he drank with a grim face.

Within half an hour, everyone around Bai Shengyun had collapsed in drunken stupor, mumbling nonsense—“Xiao Ling, I miss you so much,” or “Mother, I want a poached egg,” or even “Here, Young Emperor, since you can’t drink, let me take your share”—all of which earned them a cold glare from Bai Shengyun.

For a long time, Bai Qirui sat quietly to the side. Now he concealed the turmoil in his eyes, raised a cup, and approached Bai Shengyun and Xie Yingying. “Congratulations on your marriage.”

Bai Shengyun’s expression did not change. He took the cup and drank, replying, “Thank you, Third Brother.”

Hearing this, Xie Yingying sneered inwardly. Anyone overhearing might think Bai Shengyun truly wished for this marriage.

But she responded to Bai Qirui’s toast with curt indifference, answering with a single word: “Thanks.”

Bai Qirui nodded slightly, accepting the reply.

Bai Shengyun’s golden eyes flickered, sensing a subtle discord between the two. In the past, Bai Qirui would have joked a little, and Xie Yingying would have retorted in kind. Now, both were cool and distant—the change was unmistakable.

After Bai Qirui left, Bai Shengyun asked with some curiosity, “What’s going on between you and Third Brother?”