Tianyi glanced at the immortal from the Anti-Heaven Alliance who had accompanied him to Flower Peak Palace. Although he was shocked by the sudden appearance of Jiang Ziya's cultivation base, it wasn't to the point of trembling like that immortal.
'Still, that's a hell of a demonstration, Sect Master Xia.’ Tianyi complained. 'I'm getting married today, I'll think about all the problematic things later.'
He watched as Jiang Ziya stepped aside, and the door to Flower Peak Palace opened. Two female elders came out, holding a pan of burning fire. The fire burned pink and released a faint floral scent.
The two placed the pan of fire in front of the entrance. In the Xi Dynasty, the bride would be carried by her brother or similarly-aged male relative over the fire, but since Daoyi didn't actually like her family, she walked out alone.
Tianyi felt his breath hitch and butterflies flutter in his stomach as he saw her graceful figure.
Daoyi wore a vibrant red dress, which greatly contrasted against her usual color of choice. A red veil covered her head, but ink-black hair still flowed out from her back. The wedding gown had numerous layers as if someone had transformed numerous paintings of phoenixes into a dress. Even with those layers, her slim and delicate figure could not be hidden.
Tianyi gulped as Daoyi floated over the pink floral fire. He reached out and held Daoyi's hand. Even if her face and eyes were covered, she still had immortal senses, so it didn't hinder her senses at all.
The crowd watched as the groom led the bride toward the carriage. After entering, the groom got back onto his horse and raised his hand. "Move."
Tianyi steered the horse and turned around. With him in the lead, the procession started its journey back to Jade Peak. The members of the entourage, such as Duan Muli, couldn't help but glance at Tianyi and reevaluate their opinions of him.
The subject of their observation noticed none of this. He couldn't help it. The reality that he was getting married finally dawned on him.
Tianyi looked up at the sky. 'I wish you could see this, Mom.'
"Geez, you're already twenty-four, when are you going to get a girlfriend?"
"I know making money is important, but I want to hold grandchildren."
"Come on, if you don't get married, you're going to grow old alone."
Tianyi laughed. 'I used to hate her nagging, but remembering them now, it feels so nostalgic."
When Tianyi returned to Jade Peak Palace, the sun had already started to dip. He dismounted his steed and held his hand out in front of the carriage. From behind the curtains, a milky-white hand reached out. With Tianyi's guidance, Daoyi stepped down from the carriage.
Tianyi led Daoyi toward the main hall of Jade Peak Palace. All the important guests had already arrived. Including the ones from the Anti-Heaven Alliance and the Earth Continent, over fifteen immortal monarchs were present.
At the front of the hall, sitting in the master’s seat, was a woman in purple. Even with the attendance of two immortal emperors, Grand Elder Zhang and Sect Master Xia, they could only play second fiddle to the Huang Realm's sole immortal sovereign.
Tianyi walked through the center of the hall and stopped in front of Mengfei. Immortals on both sides observed the two protagonists of the day's events, their gaze digging deep as if to dissect every secret the two had.
However, Tianyi and Daoyi ignored the inspection like it was air. They were different from when they had first started cultivation. When Daoyi had undergone the Disciple Acceptance Ceremony when she came to the Buzhou Immortal Sect at fifteen, their gaze had been enough to crush her. But now, she had reached the same level as them.
As for Tianyi, he had reached an even higher level. Sect Master Xia became an immortal emperor by mastering the Law of Fire, Law of Water, Law of Earth, Law of Wood, and Law of Metal, but Tianyi also mastered them, yet he didn't feel particularly different.
He even embarked on the path of comprehending the Law of Five Phases. Only after starting to comprehend that law did Tianyi realize it was a divine level law. Just mastering a percentage would be enough for Ba Shifang to enter the Seamless Immortal Realm. Mastering it completely would guarantee him becoming an immortal sovereign.
Tianyi realized he was different. Pathfinding Immortal Realm, Seamless Immortal Realm, Extremity Immortal Realm, Origin Immortal Realm, he didn't exist in those categorizations. In other words, he wouldn't have bottlenecks either. For him, his goal was the Divinity Realm.
He was broken out of his thoughts as Sect Master Xia stepped forward. He flashed Tianyi a kind smile before taking on a stern appearance.
"The first bow, bowing to heaven and earth!" Sect Master Xia's clear voice spread throughout the hall.
Tianyi and Daoyi got onto their knees. They bent down, placed their hands on the floor, and bowed until their head touched the floor. He could hear the accessories adoring Daoyi's veil clinking as they touched the ground.
The two stood up, and Sect Master Xia spoke again. "The second bow, bowing to one's parents."
Tianyi and Daoyi got onto their knees again, bowing to Mengfei. This time, Tianyi's actions were more solemn and watching from above, Mengfei's gaze unconsciously softened. She placed a hand above her heart and felt a sweet yet sour emotion sprouting from her heart.
For the third time, Sect Master Xia spoke. "The third bow, bowing to one's spouse."
Tianyi and Daoyi faced each other. They got onto their knees and bowed until their foreheads touched the ground. So close were their heads that they were only a hair's breadth away from touching each other.
"After the three bows, you two are now husband and wife," Sect Master Xia said. With a dramatic flourish of his sleeve, he said. "Send the bride to the bridal chamber!"
Numerous maids surrounded Daoyi as they escorted her to the bridal chamber. On the other hand, Tianyi was ushered to the banquet hall, where numerous guests toasted him.
"Congratulations, Daoist Xi, on your marriage," Duan Muli said as he raised a cup. "You got to bring the beauty home."
Tianyi laughed and thanked Duan Muli. Both downed their cups of wine. His body stiffened slightly as he saw the next person, a representative from the Anti-Heaven Alliance, Monarch Fiveseal.
"It's hard to believe a junior like you is only two hundred years old. I hadn't thought much of you, but it seems that you are hiding quite a lot of secrets, Prince Xi," Monarch Fiveseal said. "A toast and congratulations to you for your current happiness."
'Are you trying to say my happiness is only momentary, bastard?' Tianyi didn't show his thoughts and laughed, accepting the toast. "I have wanted to meet the famed Monarch Fiveseal. I was afraid I would never get the chance to after the war ended, haha."
Monarch Fiveseal stroked his beard. "Yes, it's a pity. After all, destruction always comes before rebirth. The old must disappear for the new."
Tianyi narrowed his eyes and smiled. The true immortals shivered as the tension between Tianyi and Monarch Fiveseal rose. Luckily, a conflict did not erupt as Sect Master Xia chose this opportune time to appear.
"Long time no see, Monarch Fiveseal," Sect Master Xia said once he arrived. He did not hide his aura at all, causing the nearby true immortals to have trouble breathing.
"Yes, it's been quite a long time since our last meeting, Monarch Xia," Monarch Fiveseal said as sparks appeared between him and Sect Master Xia.
"My old friend, have you gone blind with age? Can't you feel my aura? It's Emperor Xia now," Sect Master Xia said, his smile increasing. "I say, you should just leave the Five Element Sect and its inferior inheritance. As long as you join us, I can promise to give the complete Five Element Method. I'm sure you will gain an instant increase in cultivation."
Monarch Fiveseal laughed. "Don't you know, haste makes waste. What complete Five Element Method, the Five Element Mantra of the Five Element Sect is the most perfect method in the Huang Realm."
'I'm just going to leave,' Tianyi thought. He acted as he thought, leaving these two old enemies to reminiscence.
As soon as Tianyi left, more disciples came to toast him. Most of them were disciples related to immortal elders, hence they could enter the banquet hall despite not being in the Immortal Realm.
While accepting their toasts, Tianyi searched around. He tried searching for traces of Xia Yushan or Xi Ri, but neither was present. Just as he turned around to accept another toast, he paused.
In front of him was a woman in a blue dress. She had jet-black hair that seemed to absorb all colors, cold but immaculate features, and, most exotic of all, a blue lily growing out of her right eye, Hu Landie.
'Well, this is awkward.' Tianyi thought as he recalled the rumors. Even the disciples and immortals surrounding him became silent as they looked back and forth between him and Hu Landie.
Tianyi looked at Hu Landie. Her face was expressionless like Mengfei's, but whereas Mengfei's expression came from her ignorance, Hu Landie's expression stemmed from her indifference. She understood joy, sadness, hate, and love, but she simply didn't care, like a real immortal unaffected by human emotions.
While Tianyi was staring at Hu Landie, she was also staring at him. Then, she revealed a courteous smile, one practiced a million times, and said. "Congratulations on your marriage, Senior Brother."
"Y-Yes, thank you, Junior Sister," Tianyi said as he accepted the toast. Luckily for Tianyi's nerves, Hu Landie left after toasting him. 'Stupid clone, I'm going to punch you after all this is over. It's all your fault!'
Toast after toast, cup after cup, Tianyi downed them all. By the time a few hours passed, and the sun had dipped into the horizon, the scent of wine filled the banquet hall. Only Tianyi was unmarred by the scent of alcohol. Even if he drank all the wine in the Huang Realm at once, he would not get drunk.
Tianyi blinked, turned around, and saw Mengfei. The people around dispersed as if two to give this mother-son pair their personal space.
"Mother," Tianyi said, but after speaking that word, he didn't know what else to say.
Mengfei didn't say anything either and just looked at Tianyi. She raised her hand and moved to stroke Tianyi's head. For once, he did not dodge and allowed her to caress his hair.
"You've grown taller than me," Mengfei's words seemed to be filled with happiness yet lament. "I read that when a boy marries his wife, he becomes a man. Yi'er, you've grown up."
"What are you saying? It's like you're saying I'm going to leave after today," Tianyi said with a wry smile. "I'm not going anywhere. I still have a lot of things I don't want to lose here."
The edges of Mengfei's lips curled up slightly, so faint that only Tianyi noticed. His eyes widened as he took in the sight. 'Even though she's my mother. I have to admit. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever met, especially when she smiles.'
It wasn't just a physical attraction but the motherly emotion transmitted to Tianyi. Unconsciously, Tianyi returned a smile. It was slight, only bigger than Mengfei's, but it conveyed a sense of satisfaction and contentment.
"Mother, why are you crying?" Tianyi said as he took out a handkerchief—a habit he had kept ever since he entered the Core Formation Realm—and wiped the tears from the corner of his mother's eyes.
"I'm crying?" Mengfei asked, even more surprised than Tianyi. She wiped the corner of her eyes and stared at her fingertips to see a drop of tears. "Is this what they mean by ‘Tears of Happiness’?"
"I don't think that's quite right," Tianyi said helplessly. Although he wanted to comfort his mother more, night had arrived, and it was time for him to go to the bridal chamber.
Thankfully, Mengfei's tears had stopped, so Tianyi could leave without worry. All the guests escorted him to the bridal chambers. After a few teases, they left him to do his duties.
Tianyi sighed in relief upon seeing them leave. Steeling his heart, he opened the door and was instantly struck by the heavy smell of alcohol.
Peering into the room heavily decorated in red, Tianyi saw numerous empty jugs of wine. "Weren't you supposed to wait for me to lift the veil?"
Daoyi turned toward Tianyi as he closed the doors. Like he had said, she had taken off her veil, and a heavy flush that was not makeup covered her face.
"It's not fair," Daoyi said. "Why do you get to drink while I have to stay in the bridal chamber? I want to drink too!'
Tianyi covered his face and waved his hand. The jugs of wine disappeared as well as the aroma of alcohol. He walked towards the table, where two small cups of wine waited.
He picked them both up and handed one to Daoyi. Despite drinking amounts that would kill most men, Daoyi's hand did not shake at all as she received her cup.
'That's some amazing alcohol tolerance.' Tianyi and Daoyi entwined their arms and downed the wine in their cups.
Tianyi coughed in his fist and sat on the bed. Daoyi followed suit, and an awkward silence settled down. He looked at the door, the walls, even the mirrors, everywhere, just not at Daoyi. He could already feel his face flushing, and not from the alcohol.
"Oh, let's just get it over with."
Tianyi blinked, and the next thing he knew, he was lying on his back and staring at the ceiling. That didn't last long as Daoyi's face appeared above him with her hands on either side of his head.
"Tonight, I'm going to make you a man."
