Chapter 541: Wedding 1 (Two in One)

"I told you that guy was an idiot."

Fear Bird looked at Yan Jing, mocking him without bothering to hide it. "This guy actually mistook a racing heart for inner demons!"

Beside her, Fei Yu said nothing. She just stared blankly up at Yan Jing on the screen, her eyes sparkling, lost in thought. "What's wrong? Jealous?"

It was rare for Fear Bird to see Fei Yu like this. She nudged her with an elbow and snickered. "You said you were willing to be the third woman. Looking at it now, you'll be starting at fourth, minimum. That guy has never felt this way about you in his entire life, has he?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Fear Bird realized she had misspoken. She was so used to bickering with Fei Yu that she hadn't gauged the limits of the joke. Seeing Fei Yu stay silent, she let out an awkward laugh. "Hey now, I was just joking, don't—"

"The young master used to treat me like that too."

Fei Yu spoke softly.

As if recalling something, she smiled, her eyes curving into little crescents. "It's just that the young master doesn't remember."

She paused, narrowing her eyes as she murmured, "Because the young master is a massive idiot."

So it wasn't jealousy. She was just thinking about her own messy past.

"Hopeless." Watching Fei Yu's expression, Fear Bird let out a helpless sigh.

The next day.

A pristine white platform covering tens of thousands of square meters hung suspended from the steel Fortress, dangling high in the sky.

Wispy, gauze-like clouds drifted over the platform, flowing like water and making the structure look like a veritable wonderland.

The melodious hum of an accordion echoed through the air. Young children dressed in pure white stood on clouds woven from weird energy, tossing handfuls of petals into the sky. Their innocent voices singing hymns seemed to pluck at the accordion's chords, the sounds weaving together in perfect harmony.

Chaste young men and women held bouquets of white flowers with gentle smiles. Their pockets were stuffed with red-wrapped candies, ready to be handed out to every arriving guest.

At the very center of the elevated stage sat a raised platform. Giant vines blooming with fresh flowers acted as a support for a massive screen at the back, which was currently broadcasting clips of Ning Wei growing up, piece by piece.

Around the main stage hung five small, suspended viewing platforms and one medium-sized one.

Haidu, the Desolate Forest, the Sand Tower, Elite City, and the Sky Domain each received a small platform. The medium-sized one was reserved for the Pure Blood City's 'bride's family'. Every viewing stand was decorated with colors and elements representative of its respective faction.

For instance, the Desolate Forest's stand featured dead wood and Thorns, the Sky Domain's bore gears and clouds, and the Pure Blood Heavenly Kingdom's was adorned in a noble crimson and gold.

In Weng Lingxiao's original arrangement, those five small viewing platforms did not exist.

They were hosting a wedding right now; it would be a blessing if the Ninth Tier criminals didn't outright attack, so why on earth would they set up audience seats for potential enemies? But Yan Jing insisted that anyone who came was a guest. Unable to dissuade him, Weng Lingxiao finally ordered the small platforms to be built. And 'small' truly meant small—each stand held only three or four seats.

It made sense, though. Aside from the Sky Domain, the vast majority of criminals from the other regions couldn't fly. To reach the Great Prison—which floated even higher than the Sky Domain—they needed to have reached the Summit, at the very least.

A crowd of people in standard prison uniforms stood on the elevated stage, their eyes fixed on the raised platform.

At the very back of the platform sat two massive chairs, flanked on the left and right by two smaller chairs.

Yan Jing sat in the right chair.

Weng Lingxiao sat in the left.

The two massive chairs in the center remained empty. One was prepared for Mu Tian, and the other for the elder of the Pure Blood Heavenly Kingdom.

It had to be said that Weng Lingxiao's design was quite thorough.

Despite being single for his entire life, he had considered most of the ceremonial steps, blending two different styles of wedding to orchestrate this event.

As for the tedious traditions—like fetching the bride or tossing the bouquet—those were naturally cut to save time. A fight could break out at any minute, so who had time for all that? Putting up a good enough front to save face was already an achievement!

"Why hasn't anyone arrived yet?"

Weng Lingxiao checked his watch and leaned toward Yan Jing. "It's almost the scheduled start time."

Yan Jing smiled. "Aren't there still ten minutes left? The groom himself isn't in a hurry. What's the vice warden so anxious about?"

"The point is, we're not just waiting on the bride."

Weng Lingxiao frowned, his eyes betraying his urgency and unease. "The elders should be here by now, shouldn't they? And look at those small platforms—not a single person has shown up."

"Weren't you the one who didn't want anyone to come in the first place?"

Yan Jing looked up, giving Weng Lingxiao a brief glance before picking up his teacup. "As for the elders... they have to escort the bride here, right? Don't worry. Just wait."

"But Mu Tian also—"

Before he could finish, a gasp erupted from the distant crowd. A tall figure in a black robe drifted down from the airborne iron Fortress. Although his face was covered, the arrogant aura radiating from him and the almost tangible soul power swirling around his body made his identity obvious. It was Mu Tian, the de facto ruler of the Great Prison since its inception, renowned as one of the strongest Ninth Tier experts in the world and the number one person beneath the Tenth Tier in the Inner World. Weng Lingxiao stared blankly at Mu Tian as he floated toward them.

He hadn't expected Mu Tian to actually show up.

Initially, he and Yan Jing had discussed scrapping Mu Tian's seat altogether, but Yan Jing argued that they should set the chair out anyway; whether he arrived or not, they could always offer an excuse later.

Thinking it over, Weng Lingxiao agreed and placed Mu Tian's chair.

But deep down, he never believed Mu Tian would actually come.

It was a dangerous move.

If Mu Tian was in poor condition, the other Ninth Tier experts wouldn't even wait for their scheduled date—they would attack him today.

If he was in good condition, he should have been resting and gathering his strength, rather than giving the others a chance to cause trouble right now.

Logically and emotionally, Mu Tian shouldn't have come.

Yet here he was. To Weng Lingxiao, this left only one possibility: Mu Tian truly valued Ning Wei.

But...

Just as they had analyzed before, this was a glaring weakness.

Sure enough, right after Mu Tian took his seat...

Silhouettes began to appear on the five small viewing platforms.

On the blue platform decorated with water droplets and crashing waves, a man in a blue-and-white polo shirt materialized in his seat. Beside him sat a graceful blonde woman, snuggling against his side like a little bird.

From Haidu: Sea Emperor—Zhou Mian.

From the Great Prison: Succubus Monarch—Song Huien.

On the white platform intertwined with clouds and gears, two figures in white garments appeared. One was a short-haired woman with pure white eyebrows and hair; the other was a muscular man in his thirties or forties with a pair of massive white wings on his back.

From the Sky Domain: Holy Feather—Bai Chen.

From the Sky Domain: Pure Feather—Bai Yue.

On the jagged grey platform shaped like towering skyscrapers, a tall, long-haired man revealed himself. Wearing a black trench coat, he stood with his hands in his pockets, his gaze piercing. The moment he appeared, fissures cracked across the surrounding floor as if slashed by invisible blades.

From Elite City: War Maniac—Zhan Cangtian.

Next was the Desolate Forest's stand. A hunched, silver-haired old man manifested on the platform. He wore a mask over his face and leaned heavily on a walking cane.

From the Desolate Forest: Wilderness Priest—Merkel.

Only the final stand, scattered with loose gravel, remained empty.

The desert tyrant, Shalike, hadn't shown up; it seemed he had truly vanished without a trace after being driven out of the Sand Tower by Wen Xu. Just as everyone thought the stand would stay empty, a gust of sandy wind blew past, gradually forming into two figures.

The man had curly blonde hair, his face pale and his frame unnaturally frail. The woman beside him had flowing red hair and a voluptuous figure.

It was Wen Xu and Huo Tong.

The crowd stared in surprise, not expecting Wen Xu to be the one representing the Sand Tower.

The other Ninth Tier experts subconsciously glanced toward Merkel.

In their minds, Wen Xu and Merkel were supposed to have a subordinate-superior relationship, but appearing separately like this clearly carried a different implication. Yet Merkel's expression remained perfectly calm, acting as if he hadn't noticed a thing.

While everyone on the stage was reeling and the Ninth Tier experts were silently sizing each other up, Wen Xu suddenly spoke.

"To celebrate the union of the Great Prison's young master and the Pure Blood Heavenly Kingdom, the Wizard Tribe offers five Divine Items. May the newlyweds share a long and lasting life together, their bond remaining steadfast until the seas dry up and the rocks crumble."

With that, five gleaming golden items floated out from in front of Wen Xu and landed on the main platform.

The Ninth Tier experts collectively froze.

Wait, he was just giving away five Divine Items like that?

Wen Xu turned to the other experts and flashed a slight smile. "Everyone, if your pockets are empty, there's no need to force yourselves."

"To bless the newlyweds' union, the Desolate Forest gifts five items."

Merkel spoke softly, and another five radiant Divine Items flew forward.

At this, the others couldn't sit still.

If it had just been Wen Xu offering gifts, they could have ignored it.

But with so many people watching, how awful would it look if Merkel and Wen Xu both gave presents and the rest of them offered nothing?

But... five items...

The remaining Ninth Tier experts felt a sharp pang of loss.

These were five Divine Items. They had spent decades grinding in their respective Domains and probably only possessed twenty or thirty Divine Items in total. Who on earth gave away a quarter of their entire net worth as a wedding gift?

But... things had already reached this point.

Bai Yue glanced at Bai Chen. Seeing him nod, she softly announced, "The Sky Domain gifts five items."

Next, Zhan Cangtian spoke in an indifferent tone.

"Elite City gifts five items."

Finally, only Zhou Mian was left. He hesitated for a moment before saying with a dark expression,

"Haidu gifts three items."

Then, he looked at Song Huien beside him.

His meaning went without saying.

Song Huien froze.

She had to give a gift too?

Wait a minute—she was practically half a member of the bride's side to begin with. Even if she wasn't counted as part of the Great Prison, she was still a newcomer to Haidu. Since when did anyone demand gifts from the junior member of their own faction?

But seeing all those familiar faces on the stage turn to look at her, Song Huien finally gritted her teeth and spoke up.

"Song Huien gifts two items."

"Many thanks to you all."

Weng Lingxiao stood up from his seat, beaming as he ordered his subordinates to collect the Divine Items.

Anyone could use someone else's prestige as a tiger skin to drape over themselves. Back when Mu Tian was at his peak, this kind of tribute was commonplace. But now that his sun was setting, seeing a scene like this was a rare spectacle—one they'd likely never witness again.

With the gifts presented, silence fell over the platform.

Where was the groom?

Nowhere to be seen.

Where was the bride?

Also apparently absent.

Weng Lingxiao was burning with anxiety, constantly stealing glances at Yan Jing.

Yan Jing, on the other hand, was perfectly calm. Whether Ning Wei managed to 'marry out' or not had little to do with him.

He had promised Mu Tian he would see the boy off safely, but if the other party didn't show up, how could he leave? That was simply force majeure.

Fortunately, they arrived in the end.

In the final half-minute before the scheduled start time, a blood-red vortex suddenly tore open in the sky above the platform. Endless crimson light poured from the vortex, dyeing the pristine white stage a vibrant red. And then, a blood-colored wind swept before the crowd's eyes.

Yes, a blood-colored wind.

Wind was supposed to be colorless, but beneath that heavy, bloody glow, everyone could actually see the shape of the breeze. Tendril by tendril, it drifted past their eyes, carrying an overpoweringly sweet and metallic stench of blood that tangled in their hair.

Two figures stepped out of the vortex.

One figure wore a red, Western-style wedding dress. The tops of her high heels were encrusted with incredibly valuable red gemstones, making her pale insteps look like carved jade.

The dress's train was at least four or five meters long, trailing down from the sky like a waterfall of blood.

She was tall and had an outstanding figure, instantly exuding an unapproachable aura. But what was truly breathtaking was her face. It was a face that could only be called perfect—whether in its features, its proportions, or its overall harmony.

Even Yan Jing had to admit that this girl possessed one of the most flawless faces he had ever seen.

If Shen ??ran was alluring, Wen Qiao was gentle, Fei Yu was spirited, and Mantou was adorable, then the face before him could only be described as perfect. If he had to make a comparison, only Tianwei could rival this girl.

But Tianwei's face possessed a subtle, mechanical artificiality that ordinary people couldn't detect, whereas this girl was far more natural.

It was a flawless beauty shaped entirely by nature; she had absolutely never gone under the knife.

Unfortunately...

It was exactly because of this that Yan Jing found her face completely devoid of character.

It was too perfect.

So perfect that it created a sense of alienation.

It was like the difference between a throw pillow and a piece of art.

You might occasionally want to admire and touch a piece of art, but you would never want to hug it to sleep every night.

At least, Yan Jing had no such desire.

Beside the woman stood a middle-aged man in a red suit, sporting a neatly trimmed goatee. Although he had a decent build and hadn't gone soft in his forties or fifties, he paled in comparison to the woman next to him.

It was like comparing an unpolished rock to a masterfully carved, peerless treasure. It wasn't that the rough stone lacked all aesthetic value, but the contrast between the two was simply too massive. Almost everyone's gaze was drawn to the woman, and unconscious gasps of awe rippled through the crowd.

However, inside the Special Prison Cell, Wen He frowned as she looked at the middle-aged man beside the woman.

Almost simultaneously, from his seat on the stage, Yan Jing also frowned as he studied the man's appearance.

But in the end, he didn't say a word.

The man led the woman step by step onto the platform. His gaze swept over the crowd below, and his brow furrowed.

"Where's that guy?"

That guy...

The expressions of the crowd shifted slightly.

These two were about to tie the knot. Even if he didn't call him 'the groom' or something similar, calling him 'that guy' was a bit harsh. Weng Lingxiao frowned unconsciously.

He looked at Mu Tian beside him and found the warden's expression completely unchanged.

He then glanced further over at Yan Jing, who looked the same.

Left with no choice, Weng Lingxiao stood up.

The other side coming in hot with a show of strength right out of the gate spoke volumes.

But their side still had to respond to the challenge.

"Greetings, in-law."

He stepped forward with a smile. "Little Ning Wei is still ignorant of proper etiquette. I kept telling him to wait in the back—that we absolutely had to let the bride make her grand entrance before a foolish boy like him showed his face. So he took me at my word. Now the bride is here, and he still doesn't know to come out and greet her. It can't be helped; the kid has always listened to me since he was small. I'll call him out right now."

The man looked Weng Lingxiao up and down and sneered.

"Who are you? Where is Mu Tian? Why didn't he come to receive us?"

The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere instantly plummeted to freezing.

If his previous words could be excused, this was just outright tearing up all pretenses.

Weng Lingxiao kept his face taut, maintaining the last dregs of his smile. "Lord Mu Tian is waiting for you in his seat. How about I lead you to your place, and we let the two kids chat amongst themselves?"

The man sneered again.

"Heh. I said, let Mu Tian come receive us himself."

"May I ask who you are...?"

Weng Lingxiao's face gradually went cold.

It would be one thing if the man was a major figure. But rumors said that the higher a person's bloodline purity in the Pure Blood City, the closer their appearance approached absolute perfection. This man was obviously from a branch family.

"I am Rong'er's uncle. Where is Mu Tian? He's the one who wanted this marriage to beg for our help, and a beggar should have the attitude of a beggar. Or did you think that guy was just lucky enough to marry into our Pure Blood City? If it wasn't for Rong'er, you think I'd set foot in a filthy dump like this?"

"Hurry up and call Mu Tian and that guy out. Once everything is negotiated, we'll take him and leave. If the negotiations fall through, heh..."

Everything the man said showed utter contempt for Mu Tian.

He wasn't giving the Great Prison any face, either.

"Aren't you being far too aggressive...?"

Weng Lingxiao's face turned completely icy.

Who could have imagined that before the criminals even made a move, their own in-laws would screw them over right at the start of the wedding?

An uncle.

A marriage alliance between two massive Domains.

Mu Tian's own biological son.

And the other side just sent a random uncle.

Looking at his posture, he wasn't here to celebrate a wedding; he was just going through the motions to get it over with.

"What?"

A mocking sneer tugged at the corner of the man's mouth. "So what if I'm aggressive?"

"Are you going to attack me?"

Weng Lingxiao clenched his fists.

He wasn't afraid of the man himself, but the Pure Blood City stood behind him.

This was an unequal political marriage.

Never mind the man acting so brazenly—even if he spat right in Weng Lingxiao's face, Weng Lingxiao would still have to hesitate before fighting back. He could feel the mocking gazes boring into him from the small viewing platforms.

Fists tightly clenched, Weng Lingxiao felt exceptionally humiliated.

He prepared to swallow his anger.

If he started a fight now, those criminals really would turn the place upside down.

"That's more like it. My Rong'er's shoes are a bit dirty. Help her wipe them off."

The man laughed.

This wasn't his first time dealing with a situation like this.

Forget being a little rude with his words; even if he pulled his pants down and took a piss right in front of them, they wouldn't dare squeak.

Once, a small Domain couldn't bear the humiliation and attacked a marriage envoy from the Pure Blood City. Two months later, that small Domain was wiped off the map.

Hearing the man's words, the crowd was utterly dumbfounded.

Wipe her shoes!!!

Weng Lingxiao felt his fury turn into a boiling torrent that rushed straight to his brain.

He was a Ninth Tier expert!

And he was being told to wipe shoes!!!

However, at that very moment, Yan Jing's voice rang out.

"If your shoes are dirty, wipe them yourself. What, when our young master goes over, is he going to have to wipe your people's shoes too?"

Hearing this, not just the man, but even the woman beside him turned her head to look at Yan Jing. For the first time, her expression shifted.

She frowned, apparently very displeased by Yan Jing's words.

The man looked up at Yan Jing, who was standing in the distance, and flashed a cruel smile.

"And who are you?"

"Are you Mu Tian?"

Yan Jing chuckled.

"I am the chief director of this wedding. Please take your seat, sir."

The man burst into laughter.

"What the hell are you? Never mind you—even the current Mu Tian, what the hell does he count for?"

"I dare you to lay a finger on me. Try it!"

Yan Jing's eyes flickered. He looked up at the viewing platforms opposite him.

"You were all invited here to watch the ceremony. Are you just going to sit there and watch an outsider act so brazenly on our turf?"

As his words fell, Weng Lingxiao stared at Yan Jing in astonishment.

He was talking to the criminals?

At a time like this, it was a blessing if those guys didn't attack them. Why would they ever...

But the very next second.

Smack!

A crisp slap echoed across the platform.

The crowd was dumbfounded, staring at Wen Xu, who had suddenly vanished from his seat and materialized right in front of them.

"Apologize."

Wen Xu looked at the man he had just slapped seven or eight meters away, a smile on his face.

"I came here to watch a fucking wedding. Who the hell do you think you are to ruin my mood?"

The criminals were shocked, the staff members were shocked, and Weng Lingxiao was shocked.

This was the legendary Wen Xu?

He struck out... this aggressively?

"And you too, little girl."

Wen Xu turned his head and looked at the terrified woman, his voice soft.

"I don't care how things were before. This is the Great Prison. If you're a dragon, you coil up here; if you're a tiger, you lie down. This place will belong to me sooner or later."

"Not even Mu Tian has the right to speak, let alone you two."