Chapter 11: The Wedding Night

"Qin Guan! Get your ass out here!"

Yang Ao arrived at the main courtyard, radiating murderous intent.

Hearing someone call his name, Qin Guan stepped outside.

Nan Rou recognized Yang Ao's voice and immediately tore off her red veil, rushing out to warn him. "Brother Guan, that's Yang Ao — be careful!"

Earlier, when word had spread that Yang Ao had awakened the True Dragon Sword Intent, Nan Rou had already warned Qin Guan: since he had killed Hu Liu, Yang Ao would almost certainly come seeking revenge. Sure enough, here he was.

"I hear you're a third-gate Martial Artist. Come then — do you dare fight me?" Yang Ao raised his longsword and leveled it at Qin Guan.

"Stop!" At that moment, Nan Yunqi suddenly stepped between the two men, hurriedly saying, "Ao'er, don't be rash—"

"Uncle, are you taking his side?" Before Nan Yunqi could finish, Yang Ao cut him off.

"That's not—" Nan Yunqi was at a loss for words.

Yang Ao fixed Nan Yunqi with an icy stare. "Today, it's either him or me in the Nan Family. One of us stays, and the other goes!"

The declaration stunned everyone present. The implication was clear: if the Nan Family chose to protect Qin Guan, then Yang Ao would leave the Nan Family for good.

Choose one.

On one side stood a Sword Cultivator who had just awakened the True Dragon Sword Intent. On the other, a third-gate Martial Artist.

Put side by side like that, even a fool would choose the one with the True Dragon Sword Intent.

All eyes fell on Nan Yunqi.

Nan Yunqi's expression grew troubled. He turned to look at Qin Guan and Nan Rou, both dressed in red wedding robes. Qin Guan's face was utterly calm, as if none of this concerned him. Nan Rou, on the other hand, looked terrified.

The moment he saw the fear on Nan Rou's face, a surge of resolve rose in Nan Yunqi's chest. If he couldn't even be a proper father, what right did he have to speak of reviving the family as its patriarch? With that thought, he turned back to face Yang Ao.

"Yang Ao, this is the Nan Family, and today is my daughter's wedding day with Qin Guan. You are not welcome to cause trouble here!"

Nan Yunqi's words shocked everyone present. He had actually chosen Qin Guan — a Martial Artist with no future prospects!

He had given up the Sword Cultivator who awakened the True Dragon Sword Intent?

The onlookers shook their heads in silence.

No wonder the Nan Family was only a third-rate clan. A patriarch with such poor judgment and no vision.

"Good. Very good." Yang Ao's eyes turned cold, and the sword in his hand began to tremble violently.

"Nan Yunqi, after everything my Yang Family has done to support you — this is how you treat us? You're nothing but an ungrateful wretch, a dog that bites the hand that feeds it!"

Seeing Nan Yunqi side with Qin Guan, Yang Hongmei erupted in furious curses, feeling that every kindness the Yang Family had ever shown him had been thrown to the dogs.

"Silence yourself, woman!"

Nan Yunqi suddenly roared, turning to glare at Yang Hongmei, his body trembling with rage. This brainless woman who loved nothing more than stirring up trouble — he truly regretted marrying her.

After a moment of silence, Nan Yunqi seemed to reach a firm decision.

"From this day forward, I will repay every debt owed to the Yang Family, coin by coin. And as of today, Yang Hongmei — I am divorcing you. Get out. Get out now!"

By the end, Nan Yunqi was roaring like a man possessed, as if venting years of suppressed humiliation and resentment in a single breath.

Everyone present was startled by his sudden outburst.

Nan Shunda and Nan Yuantong, however, were secretly overjoyed. Without the Yang Family's backing, Nan Yunqi was nothing.

Yang Hongmei stood frozen, unable to understand why Nan Yunqi had flown into such a rage. Was it simply because she had scolded him in front of everyone?

She had berated and belittled him in front of outsiders and her own family countless times before, and he had never reacted like this.

Or perhaps... he had never loved her at all. Perhaps all these years together had been nothing more than a means to secure the Yang Family's support and resources...

In that moment, Yang Hongmei's mind was in turmoil. A deep instinct told her that Nan Yunqi was not bluffing or joking.

"Wuu..." Unable to make sense of it all, Yang Hongmei suddenly burst into tears.

"Mother, please calm down!" Nan Qiao rushed to Yang Hongmei's side.

"Stop your crying! The Yang Family has no place for someone who weeps at the first sign of trouble!"

Seeing Yang Hongmei sobbing, Yang Ao let out a cold, contemptuous snort. Then he flicked his wrist, angling his sword downward toward the ground, and turned his gaze to Nan Yunqi.

"If you dare stand in my way, don't blame me for cutting you down along with him!"

Nan Yunqi narrowed his eyes. "Fine by me. I've been curious to see the power of this True Dragon Sword Intent for myself."

Seeing Yang Ao about to strike Nan Yunqi, Yang Hongmei suddenly lunged forward and grabbed his arm. "Ao'er, you can't — he's your uncle by marriage!"

"Get out of my way!"

Yang Ao shoved Yang Hongmei aside. In the next instant, dozens of sharp golden sword qi surged from within him, swirling and converging in the air, releasing wave after wave of bone-chilling dragon roars.

Feeling the overwhelming sword pressure radiating from Yang Ao, every face in the courtyard turned grave. Truly worthy of the True Dragon Sword Intent — even freshly awakened, it was already this formidable!

Nan Yunqi's expression was equally grim. A faint shroud of blue Spiritual Energy wrapped around his body as the Spiritual Energy in his Dantian surged frantically toward his palms.

"Die!"

Yang Ao slashed ferociously at Nan Yunqi!

Roar!

A golden sword dragon, wreathed around the blade, came crashing down in an instant!

Faced with that overwhelming strike, Nan Yunqi's expression twisted. His clasped palms were just rising to meet it when a red figure suddenly appeared before him.

It was Qin Guan!

Moving with blinding speed, Qin Guan drove his fist straight into the descending sword!

Boom!

In the next instant, Yang Ao — sword and all — was sent flying backward.

Thud!

Yang Ao's body slammed hard into the wall, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"How is this possible!"

Yang Ao clutched his chest, his eyes filled with utter disbelief. He had just awakened the True Dragon Sword Intent — how could he have been defeated by a single punch from a third-gate Martial Artist?

The onlookers were equally stunned. No one had expected Qin Guan to defeat Yang Ao so effortlessly with one punch!

Yang Ao's Cultivation was only at the fifth level of the Qi Refining Stage, but that last strike had been empowered by the True Dragon Sword Intent, bringing its might close to that of a Peak Spirit Refinement Realm expert — and it had been shattered by a single punch from a third-gate Martial Artist?

"Aaargh!"

At that moment, Yang Ao's face contorted with fury. He charged at Qin Guan again, sword in hand, his figure a blur as he closed the distance in the blink of an eye.

This time, Yang Ao gripped the hilt with both hands, channeling every ounce of his strength into his arms. This would be his most powerful strike!

Roar!

A dragon's cry rang out across the entire Nan Family estate, shaking the very souls of all who heard it!

Bang!

When the sword was still half a foot from Qin Guan, Yang Ao once again went flying — sword and all — spitting blood as he crashed to the ground.

"No... impossible, impossible!"

Yang Ao lay on the ground, clutching his chest and shaking his head repeatedly. His all-out strike hadn't even grazed Qin Guan's body. A crushing sense of defeat welled up inside him.

"If today weren't my wedding day, I'd have already taken your miserable life!"

Qin Guan gave Yang Ao a cold snort, then turned to Nan Yunqi, his expression slightly displeased.

"What kind of father-in-law runs off in the middle of his daughter's wedding ceremony?"

Nan Yunqi snapped back to his senses from his stupor and immediately called out to the ceremonial attendants. "What are you all standing around for?! Hurry up and resume the ceremony for the young master and the First Young Miss!"

The servants scrambled toward the main hall at once.

The wedding continued!

At that moment, a middle-aged man in ornate robes landed before Yang Ao and produced a red Pill. "Young Hero Yang, this is a Qi-Blood Pill — take it quickly!"

A first-rank Qi-Blood Pill, worth fifty thousand gold per piece — extraordinarily expensive!

Yang Ao looked up at the man in ornate robes, then after a moment accepted the Pill and murmured, "Thank you, Clan Master Xiao."

By now, several of Luyun City's family powers had gathered around.

The man in ornate robes looked at Yang Ao and spoke.

"Young Hero Yang, you only just awakened the True Dragon Sword Intent — your Sword Dao is not yet stable. You were too hasty."

Those around him nodded quietly in agreement. Yang Ao had not yet grasped the essence of the True Dragon Sword Intent. Though that last strike had been powerful, it had not been effectively integrated into his sword technique. Had he taken a little more time to consolidate it, Qin Guan would never have been able to withstand it.

Hearing this, the crushing sense of defeat Yang Ao had felt moments ago receded like a tide. It seemed he had simply been too impulsive.

The man in ornate robes then said with a dismissive curl of his lip, "Once Young Hero Yang properly consolidates his Sword Dao and masters the essence of the True Dragon Sword Intent, a mere third-gate Martial Artist can be cut down with a single raise of his hand!"

"Indeed. A third-gate Martial Artist is no weakling, but Young Hero Yang has comprehended the True Dragon Sword Intent — his future growth is something no Martial Artist could ever match. Do not let Qin Guan disturb your Dao Heart," someone nearby chimed in with flattery.

Hearing this, Yang Ao's confidence surged back. Being defeated by Qin Guan's punch had nearly shattered his Dao Heart.

The man in ornate robes continued.

"My Xiao Family's founding ancestor has considerable insight into the Sword Dao. If Young Hero Yang does not mind, you are welcome to come with me so the old man can offer some guidance and help stabilize your Sword Dao."

Yang Ao's eyes lit up. He rose quickly and bowed respectfully. "Then I am most grateful, Clan Master Xiao!"

The Xiao Family was a lineage of sword cultivators, and their founding ancestor, Xiao Yun, had reached the level of a Sword Master in the Sword Dao. With his guidance, Yang Ao's Sword Dao would surely advance by leaps and bounds — and then it would not be too late to come back and settle scores with Qin Guan!

On the Yuanyin Continent, Sword Cultivators had their own hierarchy of power within the Sword Dao: Sword Mortal, Sword Apprentice, Sword Warrior, Sword Master, Grand Sword Master, Sword King, Sword Venerable, Sword Emperor, Sword Saint, Sword Immortal, Grand Sword Immortal.

"Young Hero Yang, shall we go?" Xiao Yeshan said, moving to support Yang Ao as he spoke.

"Ao'er!" Seeing Yang Ao about to leave, Yang Hongmei called out urgently from a distance, trying to hold him back.

"Hmph. Since the Nan Family has chosen Qin Guan, there's no reason for me to stay in this house!"

Yang Ao finished speaking and cast a venomous glare toward the main hall. He would settle this score with the Nan Family and Qin Guan sooner or later.

"A talent like Young Hero Yang — my Xiao Family will treat you as an honored guest!" The man in ornate robes said, then led Yang Ao out of the courtyard.

Watching Xiao Yeshan take Yang Ao away, several onlookers cursed under their breath. Recruiting Yang Ao at precisely this moment — the timing was perfect. What a cunning old fox!

"To throw away a once-in-a-century sword genius like that — truly foolish!" A man shook his head with a sigh and departed from the Nan Family estate.

The rest of the crowd dispersed as well. They had all come because of the person who awakened the True Dragon Sword Intent. Now that Yang Ao had been taken away by Xiao Yeshan, there was no reason to linger at the Nan Family's.

The Nan Family had already offended Tianbao Pavilion, and now they had offended Yang Ao as well. To curry favor with Yang Ao, the Xiao Family would surely help him vent his grievances — meaning the Nan Family had simultaneously made enemies of two of Luyun City's top-tier powers. The Nan Family's days were likely numbered.

Before long, the courtyard was empty save for a handful of Nan Family members. Even the guests from the smaller clans who had come to attend the wedding had all quietly slipped away.

Night fell.

Though there were few guests left, the wedding customs and rituals were still quite elaborate. Qin Guan was kept busy until darkness had fully settled before he finally made his way to the bridal chamber.

Inside the room, red candles swayed, their light and shadows dancing across the walls. Qin Guan gently lifted the red veil, and in that moment their eyes met — time itself seemed to stand still.

Nan Rou's cheeks were flushed with a rosy warmth, the color of shyness and happiness intertwined. She lowered her gaze, her lashes trembling softly like the wings of a butterfly alighting on a fallen petal. She dared not meet Qin Guan's ardent gaze, yet her heart was pounding like a startled rabbit.

Qin Guan gazed at the beautiful Nan Rou before him, his eyes full of joy and tender affection. From now on, she was the wife he would spend his entire life protecting. He leaned down and, unable to help himself, pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Nan Rou's delicate frame shivered, and her cheeks instantly blazed as red as the evening glow, burning with warmth.

At the sight of her, a heat stirred in Qin Guan's lower abdomen, a flame of desire rushing straight to his head. He wrapped his arms around Nan Rou's slender waist and gently drew her down with him.

Nan Rou, like a gentle little lamb, surrendered to the big bad wolf...

The bed curtains were drawn. Qin Guan's mouth ran dry and his heart hammered like a drum. Accompanied by the sound of heavy breathing, one garment after another was tossed aside.

Outside, the cold wind howled. Inside, the sounds of spring sang softly...

As the two lost themselves in each other, two mysterious forces quietly stirred within their bodies, completely unnoticed by either of them.

At the same time, in the boundless starry sky above, a colossal eye of the void gazed down through countless star rivers toward the land below, as if searching for something.

Two hours later, with Nan Rou's final surrender, Qin Guan finally relented.

Nestled in the soft warmth of the bedding, Nan Rou pressed herself close against Qin Guan's broad chest. Her flushed face glowed with a blissful radiance. In this moment, she had bid farewell to her girlhood and truly become this man's wife.

Just then, Qin Guan suddenly sat bolt upright. He had been too preoccupied earlier to notice, but now he realized that a small black pagoda was hovering above the bed.

The pagoda trembled faintly, continuously releasing a strange black energy that formed a dome-like barrier, enveloping both him and Nan Rou within it.

"Husband, what is that?" Nan Rou had also noticed the small black pagoda and looked a little frightened.

"Don't be afraid. That pagoda is one of my treasures."

Qin Guan said this, then frowned up at the hovering Little Black Pagoda. What exactly was this thing doing?

Just as Qin Guan was puzzling over it, the Little Black Pagoda suddenly retracted its energy — and in the next instant, it shuddered and came hurtling straight at him.

Bang!

A tremendous force slammed into Qin Guan, sending him flying and coughing up blood!