Chapter 32: Ice Cloud Seven Immortals – Chu Yueli

"Wait! You can't leave yet!"

A voice called from behind, causing Yun Che to pause.

Xiao Yulong quickly walked towards Yun Che, his face filled with righteousness. "Everyone knows that Yun Che just got married four days ago. He married Xia Qingyue, the Xia family's eldest daughter and our Flowing Cloud City's top beauty. But don't forget, Xia Qingyue married Yun Che because Elder Five's son, Xiao Ying, saved her life years ago. First, to repay that kindness, and second, due to a sixteen-year-old marriage pact! But whether it's for gratitude or the pact, she should have married Xiao Ying's biological son... not this illegitimate child who has no Xiao Clan bloodline and appeared out of nowhere!"

Xiao Yulong's words instantly reminded everyone. Indeed, Xia Qingyue married Yun Che because of the sixteen-year-old pact. Now that Yun Che was no longer Xiao Ying's son, this marriage was fundamentally a mistake!

And since it was a mistake, it should be...

Yun Che didn't turn around, stating coldly, "Xiao Yulong, my personal marriage is none of your business."

"No, it is," Xiao Yulong sneered, speaking loudly. "Right now, everyone in Flowing Cloud City knows that our top beauty married into my Xiao Clan. But after today, the entire city will know that she married not into the Xiao Clan, but an illegitimate child the Xiao Clan raised for sixteen years. What a huge joke that will be!" He turned his gaze to Xia Hongyi, who stood silently at the back, raising his voice. "Patriarch Xia, I heard that you and Xiao Ying were like brothers, and marrying your daughter to him might have been your lifelong wish. But now that the truth is out, that Yun Che isn't Xiao Ying's son at all, just a wild child picked up from who knows where, I imagine you find this very difficult to accept."

Xia Hongyi remained silent, but his expression was indeed troubled.

The Xiao Clan disciples who had always disliked Xia Qingyue marrying Yun Che finally found an outlet for their frustration and began shouting chaotically.

"Xiao Yulong is right! Xia Qingyue married into our Xiao Clan. Now that we know Yun Che isn't one of us, this marriage must be annulled!"

"Elder Five knew Yun Che wasn't from the Xiao Clan, yet he facilitated this marriage... This is simply a shameless trick!"

"Yun Che, that useless good-for-nothing, was never worthy of Xia Qingyue! Annul the marriage immediately and get out of the Xiao Clan!"

"Patriarch Xia! Say something... You've been deceived by Elder Five and Yun Che for so many years, and your daughter's marriage has become a joke. Aren't you angry?"

Sarcasm, condemnation, schadenfreude, kicking someone while they're down, instigation... The jealousy and resentment they felt towards Yun Che for marrying Xia Qingyue finally found a release. The mixed shouts grew increasingly harsh. And since they stood on the side of "justice," each person condemned with righteous indignation, as if delivering a judgment.

At this point, Xiao Yunhai spoke, his face cold. "Yun Che, you've heard what everyone said. You are not qualified to marry the Xia family's daughter. To prevent my Xiao Clan from becoming the laughingstock of Flowing Cloud City, and to prevent the Xia family from suffering further humiliation, hand over the marriage contract before you leave my Xiao Clan."

Yun Che said nothing, reaching into his embrace. When his hand emerged, it held a marriage contract... He had always kept this contract on him because too many people in the Xiao Clan wished to destroy it.

Upon seeing it, Xiao Yulong quickly stepped forward, intending to snatch it. But Yun Che shifted his body, placing the marriage contract into Xia Qingyue's hand.

Xia Qingyue instinctively clutched the contract, her gaze momentarily lost.

"Whether we stay together or part, it is always a matter between the two of us, and not even the King of Heaven can interfere," Yun Che looked at Xia Qingyue, his stern voice reaching everyone's ears. Then, his voice softened as he gazed tenderly at Xia Qingyue. "It's just that right now, I cannot protect this marriage contract, so I can only entrust it to you... If you still wish to be my wife, then safeguard it. If you desire complete freedom... then by all means, destroy it."

Xia Qingyue was speechless.

Although entrusting the responsibility of protecting the marriage contract and the right to choose to Xia Qingyue might seem to diminish his male dignity, Yun Che had no other option at that moment.

Watching Xia Qingyue quietly clench the marriage contract, Yun Che gave her a slight smile and a nod. His gaze swept over Xiao Lie, Xiao Lingxi, and Xia Hongyi one by one, then he walked towards the main gate, never looking back, until he stepped out of the Xiao Clan, a lone figure disappearing from everyone's sight.

Yun Che was an insignificant person, always had been. Even within the Xiao Clan, he was a negligible presence. Though his sharp words today surprised many, it didn't change this fact or their decade-long impression of him. Thus, his departure was merely a minor event for everyone, only giving them a moment of schadenfreude... Soon, their attention completely focused on the marriage contract in Xia Qingyue's hand.

"Miss Xia, I imagine you must be furious after learning the truth," Xiao Yulong approached Xia Qingyue, saying with a smile. "Yun Che not only deceived our Xiao Clan for sixteen years but also brought misfortune upon your Xia family. But it doesn't matter. Miss Xia only needs to tear up the marriage contract, and everything before will vanish. The entire Flowing Cloud City will understand and support Miss Xia's decision. And with Miss Xia's talent and beauty, you will surely find a husband a thousand times better than Yun Che."

Since witnessing Xiao Yulong's disgraceful behavior last time, Xia Qingyue had felt a strong dislike for him. Now, her revulsion reached its peak. She said coldly, "Didn't you hear what my husband said just now? Our marital affairs are not for outsiders to interfere with!"

Xiao Yulong's face instantly changed... and so did many others' faces.

Almost everyone had believed that Xia Qingyue was forced to marry Yun Che out of gratitude and to honor the sixteen-year-old marriage pact. Otherwise, with her talent and beauty, she could have chosen any prominent man in the world; why would she willingly marry a useless good-for-nothing? They had expected Xia Qingyue to tear up the marriage contract without hesitation. To their surprise, she spoke words almost identical to Yun Che's, and she did so with absolute resolve, even referring to Yun Che as... "my husband."

Xiao Yulong's face turned livid. This was completely contrary to his expectations. Now that Yun Che was expelled from the Xiao Clan, Xia Qingyue, in principle, had no more connection to the Xiao Clan. If she didn't tear up the marriage contract, his Xiao Clan had no right to force her.

A glimmer of unusual brilliance flickered in Xiao Lie's somewhat vacant eyes. His gaze towards Xia Qingyue became exceptionally gentle. Under the immense pressure from the Xiao Sect and the collective shouts of the Xiao Clan, she had spoken these words. Regardless of what the future held, she had thoroughly stood by Yun Che... At the very least, she had defended Yun Che's last bit of dignity.

Even Xiao Lingxi, who had always felt an inexplicable hostility towards Xia Qingyue, now felt genuine gratitude towards her.

Xia Hongyi, who had been silent, also slowly nodded at this moment, a hint of admiration and pleasure appearing on his face.

Xiao Kuangyun's face also turned ashen. If Xia Qingyue didn't tear up the marriage contract, obtaining her would become much more troublesome. This was because Xiao Moshan, the Deputy Hall Master of the Xiao Sect's Disciplinary Hall, who had accompanied him, was stern and strict, even to Xiao Kuangyun himself. He had accompanied Xiao Kuangyun not only to protect him but also to supervise him, preventing him from doing anything that would disgrace the Xiao Sect's reputation. Xiao Moshan might tolerate his philandering, but he would never allow him to forcibly seize another man's wife... Even if he were the Sect Master's biological son, Xiao Moshan would strongly intervene.

However, how could he, the esteemed son of the Xiao Sect Master, be thwarted by a mere merchant's daughter from Flowing Cloud City? He frowned, hardening his tone. "This matter is not for you to decide! This marriage affects the reputation of the Xiao Clan, and since the Xiao Clan originated from my Xiao Sect, it indirectly affects my Xiao Sect's reputation! My Xiao Sect is renowned throughout the world and will not tolerate any defilement! Xiao Ba, destroy that marriage contract!!"

"Yes, Young Master!"

Xiao Kuangyun roared out a far-fetched reason, yet no one dared to refute him. Xiao Moshan also remained still. Xiao Ba responded, his body suddenly leaping from the high platform, rushing towards Xia Qingyue's location, his gaze fixed on the marriage contract in her hand.

When the Xiao Sect made a move, even if it was just a subordinate, who in Flowing Cloud City could stop them? Just as everyone believed the marriage contract in Xia Qingyue's hand couldn't be saved, a whistling sound suddenly descended from the sky, accompanied by an extremely cold gust of wind...

Woosh!

Xiao Ba's body, which hadn't yet landed, was directly blown back, falling back onto the high platform in a state of utter disarray. He lay sprawled there, trembling all over, unable to get up for a long time... Upon closer inspection, one would notice a thin layer of ice covering his body.

The sudden turn of events caused an exclamation throughout the crowd. Xiao Moshan, whose eyes had been closed, suddenly snapped them open, his gaze sharply directed upwards... At that moment, a clear, icy voice came from above: "Your Xiao Sect is truly becoming more and more audacious, actually starting to interfere in the marital affairs of my palace's disciples! Who gave you this right?"

The sky was azure, with occasional white clouds. A woman in pure white floated in the air, her cold eyes looking down upon everyone. Her face was peerless, with snow-white skin, crimson lips, icy bones and jade-like flesh, exquisitely beautiful yet pure and sacred, like a moon palace fairy descending from the sky, or a cold, aloof, unblemished Heavenly Mountain Ice Lotus.

Although her face was clearly visible, it was impossible to determine her age; she seemed to be in her twenties, or thirties, or perhaps only in her teens... Around her body floated crystalline ice spirits, like the breath of an immortal, both beautiful and dreamlike.

The breathtaking sight in the sky left everyone stunned. Suddenly, a trembling cry rang out from the crowd...

"Pro... Profound Sky Flight! It's Profound Sky Flight!!"

This shout, like a clap of thunder, shocked everyone, their mouths agape and eyes bulging. Their gazes towards the woman in the sky drastically changed...

That's right! The woman in the air was clearly floating, without the aid of any profound artifacts or flying profound beasts! She was floating purely by her own power... And to float in the air with profound energy, to achieve "Profound Sky Flight," one had to at least reach the Sky Profound Realm!

This woman in the sky was actually the legendary... Sky Profound Realm expert!!

"Ice Cloud... Seven Fairies!!" Xiao Moshan murmured, his entire being tense, his eyes revealing deep apprehension!

"What? What did you say?" Xiao Kuangyun had been captivated by the woman in the air, but then he suddenly heard the words "Ice Cloud Seven Fairies," and his entire body jolted... Ice Cloud Seven Fairies! Belonging to the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace, these were the seven women whose status was second only to the Palace Master of the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace. They were seven individuals whom even his father deeply feared! Rumor had it that among the Ice Cloud Seven Fairies, the weakest in profound energy was in the Sky Profound Realm! The strongest in profound energy was said to be a half-step Emperor Profound Realm expert!

It was the existence of these Ice Cloud Seven Fairies that kept the Xiao Sect's status firmly suppressed by the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace. In three consecutive Cangfeng Ranking Battles, his Xiao Sect had been defeated by the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace.

"Young Master, she is Chu Yueli, the fifth among the Ice Cloud Seven Fairies! I don't know why she's here... In any case, absolutely do not offend her... Ten of me combined would not be her match!" Xiao Moshan said in a low voice. He knew exactly what kind of person Xiao Kuangyun was. This fellow was obsessed with lust; if he showed any lecherous intentions towards Chu Yueli and angered her, the consequences would be unimaginable!