Chapter 66: The Wedding Banquet of the Celestial Derivation Sect’s Saint Heir

Chapter 66: Chapter 66: The Wedding Banquet of the Celestial Derivation Sect’s Saint Heir

The eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Auspicious for weddings, travel, business openings, and moving house. Inauspicious for tomb repairs, moving coffins, and building stoves.

Nanling County City, Zhengyi Avenue.

From the moment morning broke, the entire street was a sea of people. An immense crowd had gathered before Mr. Hong’s Auction House, and the city’s common folk didn’t even dare set foot on the block.

From 7 a.m. onward, the sound of firecrackers at the auction house’s entrance never ceased.

The first auction of the day was scheduled for 7:30 AM.

This scheduling had many sensing the thick air of conflict.

Many Cultivators on the street spotted quite a few renowned figures from the Eastern Domain, such as the Sect Leader of Zi Wu Gate, the three Elders from the Purple Gold Sect, and the Vice Sect Leader of the Mixed Element Sect...

In short, whether it was the Six Sects and Eight Gates of the Eastern Domain, or the slightly smaller Cultivation Sects, they had all dispatched figures of authority to Nanling County City.

As for Independent Cultivators, they were simply innumerable.

Everyone was waiting for the auction to begin, all of them weighing the silver banknotes in their pockets and wondering how many supreme treasures they could bid for.

Acquaintances who ran into each other were busy probing for information.

For example: What do you have your eye on? How many silver taels are you prepared to spend?

Of course, in a place like this, who would speak the truth?

Just as bustling as Nanling County was the Celestial Derivation Sect on Nanling Mountain, less than a hundred miles from the county city.

The entire Celestial Derivation Sect was festooned with red and green, hung with lanterns and streamers.

Early in the morning, Second Elder Chen Zefei, along with four Stewards and dozens of disciples, was stationed at the sect gate to welcome guests. Whenever visitors arrived, greetings would be exchanged. The Celestial Derivation Sect would then accept their congratulatory gift, record it in a ledger, and Chen Zefei would arrange for two disciples to lead the guests into the Sect and toward the banquet hall.

Six months prior, the Celestial Derivation Sect and the Lingyun Sect had sent out invitations far and wide for this wedding banquet. Every notable Sect in the Eastern Domain had received one. And having received an invitation, regardless of their relationship with the Celestial Derivation Sect, they would all send someone to offer congratulations on this day.

It was a matter of face; no one would offend the Celestial Derivation Sect over this, nor would they want to give others reason to gossip.

Thus, from early morning, an endless stream of guests had been arriving at the Celestial Derivation Sect’s gate to offer their congratulations.

By late morning, nearly all the expected guests had finally arrived.

Chen Zefei rubbed his cheeks, which were stiff from smiling, and patted his sore arms, preparing to instruct the Stewards and disciples to return to the Sect.

This morning had been more exhausting than Cultivation, and most of all, it was mentally draining.

After all, the Celestial Derivation Sect was a Major Sect. When others came to offer congratulations, his side could not afford any breach of etiquette. It would be terrible to inexplicably offend someone over a wrong expression or a slip of the tongue.

So Chen Zefei maintained his smile all morning. Whenever he met someone, whether they were an Elder or a disciple from a congratulating Sect, he would step forward to shake their hand.

Of course, as exhausting as it was, it was also a matter of great prestige.

"Clean up. Leave ten disciples to watch the sect gate. If more guests arrive, receive them with courtesy and then report back," Chen Zefei instructed.

Just then, Chen Zefei saw three people walking up the mountain path toward them.

The one in the lead was an impossibly handsome young man, followed by two old men whose depths even he couldn’t fathom.

He had no memory of these three people.

Chen Zefei took the initiative to step forward, clasping his hands in a salute. "Forgive my poor memory, but may I ask who you are?"

A white-bearded old man to the young man’s left spoke up, "This is the sole Direct Disciple of the Celestial Dao Palace’s Palace Master. We are the young master’s Guards. Our young master has just arrived in the Eastern Domain and heard that your Sect Leader’s only son is getting married today. He wishes to experience the local customs of the Eastern Domain and has come uninvited to ask for a cup of celebratory wine."

Who else could that young man be but Yan Ying?

At this moment, Yan Ying was dressed in incomparably magnificent robes.

But when Chen Zefei heard the old man’s introduction, his expression changed instantly.

As an Elder of a sect, how could he have not heard the name of the Celestial Dao Palace?

Moreover, a few months ago during the earthquake on Zao Ying Mountain, the Celestial Derivation Sect had sent over a dozen talented disciples, and all of them had lost their lives. After making inquiries, they learned that they had been killed by a man named Fan Chu and a disciple from the Celestial Dao Palace.

That wasn’t all. When the Sects of the Eastern Domain jointly pursued that man, Fan Chu, disciples from the Celestial Derivation Sect and the Wuji Sect found them in Jiangdong County, only to be completely wiped out.

’Clearly, these three did not come with good intentions!’

Furthermore, the Cultivation of the two old men behind the youth was unfathomably deep. He had only ever felt such a presence from the Supreme Elder.

’If I let them in, given the strength of these two old men, who in the Celestial Derivation Sect could stop them if they truly wanted to cause trouble? The Supreme Elder?’

Chen Zefei weighed the pros and cons in his mind and finally made a decision.

’Regardless of whether their intentions are malicious, if I try to stop them from entering—whether I succeed or not—the Celestial Derivation Sect will be the first to commit a breach of courtesy.’

’Besides, with so many important figures from the Eastern Domain’s Sects here today, if these three really were to cause trouble, wouldn’t they be challenging the entire Cultivation Realm of the Eastern Domain?’

"So you are friends from the Celestial Dao Palace! Your arrival truly brings splendor to my humble Celestial Derivation Sect. A warm welcome to you, a warm welcome indeed. Please, come inside." Chen Zefei personally moved to lead them up the mountain.

The old man with the salt-and-pepper beard on the right extended his hand, a Unity Lock appearing in his palm. He tossed it toward the disciple responsible for logging the gifts and said, "Since we’re here for celebratory wine, a gift is, of course, in order."

"Many thanks, many thanks!" Chen Zefei said, forcing a smile as he looked at the shabby-looking Unity Lock.

On the Martial Arts Arena before the Celestial Derivation Sect’s main hall, a thousand banquet tables had been set up, and not a single seat was empty. A ceremonial platform was arranged in front of the main hall’s gates.

At first, Chen Zefei was unsure where to seat the trio from the Celestial Dao Palace, but then Yan Ying walked directly toward the head table at the very front.

The other people at that table were baffled, not recognizing the newcomer.

Shui Zebo, standing on the ceremonial platform, also looked at Chen Zefei questioningly. Chen Zefei hurried onto the platform and whispered a few words of explanation in Shui Zebo’s ear.

Shui Zebo then narrowed his eyes, a hint of killing intent in his gaze as he stared at Yan Ying and her companions.

However, Yan Ying brazenly took a seat, while the two old men simply stood behind her with no intention of sitting down, which reduced some of the awkwardness.

At Noon, Shui Zebo stood on the ceremonial platform and began by thanking the guests who had come to offer their congratulations.

Then, music swelled and ceremonial cannons boomed.

Shui Yuntian, dressed in auspicious red robes, held a red silk ribbon. The other end of the ribbon was held by Yun Xi, who was clad in a red phoenix crown and wedding dress, her face hidden by a red gauze veil. Surrounded by an entourage, they passed through an archway, walked through the boisterous banquet, and approached the ceremonial platform.

From the moment Yun Xi appeared, Yan Ying’s gaze was fixed on her.

Although Yun Xi’s head was veiled, Yan Ying, whose Spiritual Power had already reached Level 20, could see her face as clear as day.

’No wonder he would do anything for you, even dare to make an enemy of the whole world. Based on your looks, you are indeed worthy of it.’

Yan Ying praised Yun Xi’s beauty in her heart.

But just then, her Spiritual Power also detected the sharp Steel Needle pressed against Yun Xi’s heart.

’Such a fiercely resolute woman. I am no match for you,’ Yan Ying sighed internally.

At that moment, Yun Xi was like a walking corpse, being pulled along step by step toward the ceremonial platform by Shui Yuntian.

As for the entourage behind her, whether she knew them or not, they were ultimately people from a different world.

But no matter the expression behind her veil, Yun Xi, in this attire, was still an image of peerless elegance.

Her every step was graceful and beautiful.

Watching her, many people seated at the banquet began to whisper among themselves.

The bolder ones even uttered phrases like "a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung."

Others were sighing over the fate of Chu Fan and Yun Xi.