Chapter 5: Welcoming the Groom

Flowing Cloud City is the smallest city in the Azure Cloud Empire, so small it barely qualifies as a city; calling it a town would perhaps be more fitting. Not only is Flowing Cloud City the smallest in area, but its geographical location is also the most remote. Its population, economy, and overall level of profound strength are all at the bottom of the entire Azure Cloud Empire. Residents of Flowing Cloud City often self-deprecatingly refer to it as the forgotten corner of the Profound Sky Continent. The Xiao Sect, an inconspicuous presence in the Azure Cloud Empire, is an undeniable powerhouse in Flowing Cloud City.

Flowing Cloud City was exceptionally lively today, naturally due to the grand wedding of Yun Che and Xia Qingyue. While Yun Che's marriage alone wouldn't have garnered much attention, Xia Qingyue's wedding was certainly a monumental event that would stir the entire city.

The Xia family was not purely a profound cultivation family; instead, they had been merchants for generations. Although their wealth was not significant in the grand scheme of the Azure Cloud Empire, they were undoubtedly the wealthiest family in Flowing Cloud City. However, this did not mean the Xia family was weak. With substantial wealth, they could naturally afford to hire numerous experts to protect their assets. The current patriarch of the Xia family, Xia Hongyi, had two children: Xia Yuanba and Xia Qingyue. Both children had no interest in commerce and instead focused on profound cultivation. Xia Hongyi allowed them to pursue this path without ever opposing it. After Xia Qingyue displayed her astounding talent, which caused a sensation in Flowing Cloud City, he was even less likely to object. In fact, due to Xia Qingyue's astonishing talent, the various major families in Flowing Cloud City frequently made gestures of goodwill... After all, Xia Qingyue was widely acknowledged as someone who could potentially reach the Earth Profound Realm, or even the Sky Profound Realm, in the future. At that time, the Xia family would dominate Flowing Cloud City not only in wealth but also in power.

Yet, for such a prominent Xia family to marry the city's most brilliant prodigy to a good-for-nothing like Yun Che, who had no future whatsoever, left countless people lamenting... Of course, there was even more envy, jealousy, and hatred.

Since it was the Xia family marrying off a daughter, the ceremony was naturally far from shabby. As soon as Yun Che stepped out, he saw an extravagantly long red carpet laid out from his doorstep. This carpet started at the Xiao Sect's main gate and wound its way in the direction of the Xia family mansion. The distance between the Xia and Xiao families was not too far, but certainly not close either; it was at least several miles. This meant the red carpet was at least several miles long... No other family in Flowing Cloud City, apart from the Xia family, could afford such an extravagant display.

As the Xiao Sect's wedding procession appeared, the streets of Flowing Cloud City immediately buzzed with excitement. Spectators lined both sides of the road, and as the procession advanced, various whispers drifted into Yun Che's ears.

"Look! That's Yun Che, the grandson of Xiao Lie, the Fifth Elder of the Xiao Sect. They say his profound veins were crippled at birth, and he'll never be able to break through to the first level of the Elementary Profound Realm in his lifetime."

"Oh, it's my first time seeing him."

"It's normal you haven't seen him. With such a powerful grandfather, and being a good-for-nothing himself, would you have the face to go out often? Alas, for Xia Qingyue to marry someone like him... Heaven must be blind!"

"They say his father, Xiao Ying, and Xia Hongyi were sworn brothers back then. When Xia Qingyue was born, she nearly didn't survive. Fortunately, Xiao Ying expended a great deal of profound energy to save her. At that time, Xia Hongyi promised that Xia Qingyue would marry Xiao Ying's son when she turned sixteen. Not long after, Xiao Ying was assassinated; because he had depleted so much profound energy, he couldn't resist and died. Xia Hongyi felt even more remorse... Now Xia Qingyue is sixteen. Although Xiao Ying's son is a good-for-nothing, Xia Hongyi has always valued loyalty and righteousness and would never go back on his promise. Otherwise, how could this guy possibly marry Xia Qingyue?"

"Alas! Xia Qingyue is the jewel of Flowing Cloud City. If you strip Yun Che of his identity as the grandson of the Xiao Sect's Fifth Elder, he's less than worthless. I'm a hundred times stronger than him! This world is truly unfair!"

"My goddess, the one from my dreams, is marrying a good-for-nothing like that! I'm so unwilling, I could just die!"

Yun Che sat atop his horse, his eyes like deep pools, bright and profound. He exuded an elegant and refined aura, clad in a festive crimson wedding gown, his long hair fluttering behind him. A detached and ethereal presence emanated from him. Despite the myriad of whispers, envious glances, unwilling stares, mocking looks, resentful glares, admiring gazes, and disdainful expressions fixed upon him, he seemed completely oblivious, a faint, unperturbed smile perpetually gracing his face. This composure left countless young girls mesmerized, their eyes lost in a daze.

Although Yun Che's profound strength was abysmal, his appearance was undeniably handsome, perhaps even surpassing Xiao Yulong's. Moreover, he rarely ventured out, and his low profound strength made him appear frail and pale... a quintessential 'pretty boy'!

Therefore, even though countless young talents seethed with hatred and jealousy towards Yun Che, they had to admit internally that, purely in terms of looks, Yun Che did seem a fitting match for Xia Qingyue.

"I thought Yun Che would be riding in a sedan chair today. I didn't expect him to be on horseback, and his demeanor... it doesn't seem to match the rumors."

"Hmph! He's a good-for-nothing despised by everyone, yet today he's marrying Xia Qingyue, the jewel of our Flowing Cloud City. Of course, he's going to be as smug as possible! Why would he be afraid to show his face?" a voice said resentfully.

"I heard that the young masters of the Yuwen family and the City Lord's son have been relentlessly pursuing Xia Qingyue. Do you think they might try to snatch the bride?"

"Give it a rest! Yun Che himself is nothing, but his grandfather is Xiao Lie, the top expert in Flowing Cloud City. Even the City Lord shows him deference. With his son gone, Yun Che is his only grandson; Xiao Lie must be fiercely protective of him. If anyone dares to cause trouble, Xiao Lie would be furious! Who would dare to court such disaster? Besides, this isn't a forced marriage. Anyone who causes trouble would also incur the wrath of the entire Xia family. I bet those young masters are all securely locked in their homes right now."

The wedding procession moved neither fast nor slow, taking nearly an hour and a half to cover the several miles.

"Brother-in-law!!"

Just as they neared the Xia family's main gate, a loud, booming shout accompanied a tall, burly figure rapidly approaching Yun Che. This person didn't seem old, yet he was at least two meters tall, his body as stout as a bull. The ground subtly trembled when he ran. Yun Che watched him approach, swallowed hard, and widened his eyes, exclaiming, "Yuanba! We haven't seen each other for less than a month, and you've grown so much again!!"

This man... or more accurately, boy, was Xia Yuanba, Xia Qingyue's younger brother. He was fifteen years old this year... Yes, truly only fifteen! But simply by looking at his physique, no one would ever guess he had just turned fifteen! Over two meters tall... Even Yun Che, on horseback, was barely level with his head. His weight exceeded 350 jin (approx. 385 lbs). However, Xia Yuanba's weight was by no means mere fat; his muscles bulged prominently, hinting at a dark, metallic sheen and containing astonishing power. His profound strength was only at the fourth level of the Elementary Profound Realm, considered slightly above average, but he possessed immense physical power. He could easily hold his own even against someone at the sixth level of the Elementary Profound Realm.

Xia Yuanba was Yun Che's only close friend. He had called Yun Che "brother-in-law" since childhood, and they had grown up playing together. Before the age of eight, Xia Yuanba was dark and skinny and often bullied. After turning eight, he experienced a drastic growth spurt in height and weight, as if he had taken the wrong medicine. His appetite and strength also became increasingly astonishing. Now, at fifteen... his face still held a hint of youthful innocence, but his physique... was monstrous!

Hearing Yun Che's words, Xia Yuanba scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "Well... I can't help it. My dad tells me to lose weight every day, but being hungry is worse than death for me."

"..." Yun Che was speechless. At just fifteen, he was already like this; after he grew up... it was unimaginable!

Yun Che had witnessed Xia Yuanba's appetite many times. It was a good thing he was born into the Xia family; if he had been born into an ordinary household, they would likely have been eaten into bankruptcy long ago.

"Heh heh, Brother-in-law, today you officially become my brother-in-law," Xia Yuanba said with a simple-minded smile. He was very happy about his sister marrying Yun Che and had even been looking forward to this day. Because, in his view, with such a powerful sister as a wife, no one would dare to look down on Yun Che anymore.

"Come quickly, Sister is ready," Xia Yuanba said, then slapped his forehead. "Oh right, I'll go open the main gate." With that, Xia Yuanba sprinted towards the Xia family's main gate, resembling a living, moving mountain of flesh as he ran.

As the wedding procession entered the Xia family estate, the moment he stepped through the gate, Yun Che saw Xia Hongyi smiling at him. He quickly dismounted, walked up to Xia Hongyi, and respectfully bowed, saying, "Uncle Xia."

"Heh heh, at a time like this, are you still calling me 'Uncle'?" Xia Hongyi chuckled softly. He was not tall and had gained some weight in middle age, looking somewhat simple and honest. Yet, no one in Flowing Cloud City dared to underestimate him.

Yun Che's gaze sharpened slightly, and he respectfully said again, "Father-in-law."

He had always held Xia Hongyi in high regard, as he was his father's sworn brother. From childhood, Yun Che had endured countless scornful looks, but Xia Hongyi had always treated him with exceptional kindness. Even with his profound veins crippled since birth, Xia Hongyi upheld the agreement made with Yun Che's father, proactively marrying Xia Qingyue to Yun Che when she turned sixteen.

"Heh heh, good!" Xia Hongyi nodded, reaching out to pat Yun Che's shoulder. "Che'er, from today onwards, I entrust Qingyue to you. Although you may not be a great hero or a powerful figure, simply because you are Xiao Ying's son, I can confidently give my daughter to you. Your father, Xiao Ying, was extraordinarily talented, deeply loyal, and righteous. Becoming his sworn brother is the greatest decision I've made in my life. You are Xiao Ying's son; even with damaged profound veins, I refuse to believe you will ever be an ordinary person."

"Treat my daughter well. As for those rumors and gossip, let them be."

Yun Che's eyes flickered slightly, then he nodded slowly and resolutely. "Father-in-law, please rest assured. Although I am currently scorned by others, a dragon hidden in the abyss will surely have its day of awakening. When that time comes, I will make everyone who looks down on me, and everyone who mocks the Xia family for finding a good-for-nothing son-in-law, shut their mouths."

Xia Hongyi was momentarily stunned... The Yun Che he knew had always been gentle and soft-spoken, often inadvertently revealing an air of inferiority. But now, Yun Che was speaking such bold words to him, his gaze sharp, his expression composed, and his eyes so profound that Xia Hongyi felt he couldn't see through them... This was utterly different from his usual frail demeanor.

"Good!" Xia Hongyi nodded, patting Yun Che's shoulder again. "I believe Xiao Ying's son will certainly not remain ordinary. I will await the moment you emerge like a soaring dragon from the abyss. All right, Qingyue is ready. Go now."