Chapter 9: The Wedding Night

Xia Qingyue didn't ask further. Given how definitively the white-robed woman, with her stature and status, had said "impossible," there truly seemed to be no possibility at all.

"Qingyue, I know you're eager to repay the life-saving kindness you received at birth, and you wish to do so as much as possible before returning to the Frozen Cloud Asgard. However, by marrying him, you've already done enough. When you return to the Frozen Cloud Asgard, your identity will be revealed. He might face more ridicule afterward, but no matter what, his status as the husband of a Frozen Cloud Asgard disciple will protect him. With that status, at least in this small Flowing Cloud City, no one will dare to truly harm him," the white-robed woman said comfortingly.

Xia Qingyue nodded slightly. "I hope so."

"His profound veins are crippled, and he has no other notable talents; he'll never accomplish anything significant in his life. You, on the other hand, are not only beautiful and intelligent, but your talent is also a rare sight in my Frozen Cloud Asgard, seen perhaps once in a century. Otherwise, the Palace Master wouldn't have made an exception to allow your marriage to him, just to ease your mind. For him to marry you is the greatest fortune and blessing of his life. You've already done more than enough. Even if his father, Xiao Ying, were alive again, I believe he would have already dissolved the engagement if he were clever enough... I'm leaving now. I'll return to pick you up in a month. During this time, I won't go far. If you encounter anything you can't resolve, inform me at any time with a sound transmission talisman."

"Farewell, Master."

The white-robed woman nodded, then turned, revealing a face of exquisite beauty tinged with serene coolness. Without any makeup, her skin was as fair and smooth as snow jade, naturally bringing to mind phrases like "icy skin and jade bones" and "snowy face with crimson lips." Her features were perfectly sculpted and flawless, radiating a sacred aloofness so profound it was almost intimidating to behold, as if she were a celestial being from the highest heavens, untouched by mortal dust.

She pushed open the back window, her body swaying slightly. Accompanied by the movement of ice spirits, she vanished from the spot as if turning into mist.

In the Xiao family's main hall, guests filled every seat.

"Uncle Liu Qi, please have some wine." Xiao Che respectfully offered a cup of wine to a scholarly-looking middle-aged man.

The man called "Uncle Liu Qi" stood up with a laugh, took the cup, and drank it down, then said with a smile, "Nephew, your father and I were once close friends. Seeing you settle down now and marry such a wonderful wife, my heart is truly glad."

"Thank you, Uncle Liu Qi."

"First Elder, please have some wine."

Xiao Li, the Xiao Sect's First Elder, picked up the wine cup, drank it in one gulp, then slammed it down on the table. Throughout the entire process, he didn't say a single word, only grunted through his nose, and didn't even glance at Xiao Che. His demeanor clearly implied that by drinking the wine offered to him, he was granting Xiao Che immense face.

Xiao Che said nothing and moved to the next table. After he had taken only two steps, Xiao Li spat on the ground and sneered loudly enough for Xiao Che to hear, "What a beautiful flower, to be stuck in dog shit! Pfft!"

Xiao Che's expression remained unchanged, and his steps didn't falter, as if he hadn't heard anything at all. However, deep within his eyes, a profound, hidden chill coalesced.

Approaching Second Elder Xiao Bo, Xiao Che bowed slightly and said, "Second Elder, Xiao Che offers you a toast."

Xiao Bo didn't even look at Xiao Che. Instead, he turned his aged face away and said flatly, "Yang'er, drink it for me."

"Yes, Grandfather." Without a word, Xiao Yang snatched the cup from Xiao Che's hand and gulped it down.

To have a junior drink wine offered to an elder was no longer merely disrespect; it was blatant humiliation. After drinking the wine, Xiao Yang put the cup down and sat, his eyes revealing undisguised contempt and mockery.

Xiao Che said nothing, nodded slightly, and moved to the next table. Just as before, after he had taken only two steps, a cold snort sounded: "Hmph, trash is trash. Even if he latches onto the Xia family, he's still trash. Is that old man Xiao Lie still hoping to turn things around because of his granddaughter-in-law? Pfft!"

The voice was filled with deep disdain and mockery, and, of course, jealousy. Leaving aside the Xia family's wealth, just considering Xia Qingyue's astonishing talent, if she had married his grandson Xiao Yang instead of Xiao Che, he would probably be laughing in his dreams.

Xiao Che still pretended not to have heard anything, walking away with a smile.

By the time Xiao Che had finished toasting and seeing off the guests, night had fully fallen. Throughout the event, some people offered him genuine congratulations and blessings, but such individuals were very few, so few that Xiao Che could count them on his fingers. Most people were still polite to him, as it was his wedding day, but he clearly saw the contempt in their eyes. Some sighed, some were resentfully jealous, and others openly displayed expressions of disdain and treated him as worthless.

Because his profound veins were crippled, he would never achieve anything in his life. Therefore, they felt no need to befriend him or be polite. They didn't even care about offending him, knowing that with his crippled profound veins, there would be no consequences. Instead, they could freely and thoroughly display their superiority in front of this "waste," looking down from a position of strength with utter complacency at someone who could never surpass them...

This was the reality and the ugly nature of most humans.

"Get some rest early," Xiao Lie said, patting Xiao Che's shoulder with a gentle smile.

Xiao Che, of course, knew what lay hidden beneath his grandfather's smile.

As Xiao Lie grew older, his temper had become increasingly gentle. But in his youth, Xiao Lie's disposition was like his name—he was quick to anger. If someone made him even slightly unhappy, he would make them intensely unhappy; there was no one he wouldn't dare provoke. Xiao Che knew very well that his grandfather's nature becoming gentler was not due to the wisdom of age, but because of him...

For the sake of his useless grandson, whom he had to protect with all his might, he had to become gentle and modest. Even when insulted or bullied, as long as the bottom line wasn't crossed, he would endure it to the greatest extent. This way, whether he was alive or after his death, he wouldn't have enemies. Otherwise, those he had offended could easily take revenge on his grandson, who possessed no profound strength.

As the Fifth Elder Xiao Lie, who once possessed the strongest profound strength in Flowing Cloud City and was feared by all, he was now frequently bullied and mocked by the other four elders. Even the younger generation showed him little respect or apprehension.

Watching Xiao Lie's retreating figure, and with the sneering, disdainful faces flashing through his mind, Xiao Che's hands slowly clenched, his knuckles gradually turning white. His eyes radiated a blade-like chill. Then, his lips slowly curled into a chilling, horrifying sneer.

Xiao Che was definitely a vengeful person. In his final years on the Azure Cloud Continent, his heart was filled with nothing but hatred. He would remember those who treated him well, and he would likewise remember those who treated him poorly... almost to the point of exacting revenge for the slightest grievance.

"You will... regret this..."

A low voice slowly seeped from Xiao Che's lips, like a sinister curse.

Since Heaven has given me a chance to live again, how can I allow my grandfather and myself to be bullied any longer?!

When he returned to his small courtyard, the full moon was high in the night sky. Xiao Che went to a corner of the courtyard, extended his left hand forward, and instantly, a jet of water shot from his palm.

At the banquet today, he couldn't avoid drinking a lot of wine. By the end, he appeared completely drunk, barely able to stand, but in reality, he was perfectly sober. It wasn't because of his high alcohol tolerance, but because all the wine he consumed was instantly transferred to the Sky Poison Pearl's dimension the moment it entered his mouth. The Sky Poison Pearl had integrated with his body, allowing him to control it as effortlessly and naturally as he controlled his own limbs.

After a long gurgling sound, he finally expelled all the wine from the Sky Poison Pearl. Xiao Che raised his wine-soaked left hand, then suddenly grinned, splashing the wine directly onto his face. He held his breath, making his face turn beet red, then stumbled unsteadily, pushing open the room door and entering the bridal chamber.

As the door swung open, a wave of alcohol scent wafted in with him. Xiao Che stumbled upon entering, almost falling to the ground. He somewhat awkwardly looked up at Xia Qingyue. She was sitting gracefully on the bed, her beautiful eyes closed, exuding an extraordinary serenity. The dim red candlelight illuminated her exquisite, flower-like face, adding an irresistible touch of dreaminess and charm.

Xiao Che's eyes gleamed with light, and a lewd grin spread across his face. He swayed towards Xia Qingyue, saying, "Hehehehehe, wifey... I've... kept you waiting... now... we can... consummate our marriage..."

Xia Qingyue's eyes snapped open, and she casually waved her right hand forward.

An irresistible surge of icy cold energy instantly swept before Xiao Che, propelling his body directly out the door. He landed hard on his backside in the courtyard, nearly overturning the only stone table.

Xiao Che cried out in pain, rubbing his backside. It took him a while to get up, and he yelled angrily, "Damn it! I was just joking, did you have to be so rough?! I can't even tie up a chicken, and you attacked so fiercely... Are you trying to murder your own husband?!"

The room door slammed shut.

Xiao Che pushed forward, only to find the door firmly locked.

Xiao Che instantly felt depressed... This woman, forget flirting, she can't even take a joke! How are they supposed to get along happily?

"I was really just joking... Besides, I'm just trash at the first level of the Elementary Profound Realm; it's impossible for me to offend you even if I wanted to."

Xia Qingyue remained silent.

Xiao Che stood by the door, waiting for a long time, but there was no sign of the door opening. Xiao Che's small courtyard had only one house, not even a side room, let alone a storage room or stable. Normally, he could sneak off to sleep at his aunt's place, but tonight was his wedding night, and it wasn't appropriate for him to go anywhere else.

A night breeze swept through, causing Xiao Che to shiver involuntarily. He knocked on the door again and said weakly, "Hey, you don't really want me to sleep outside tonight, do you? You should know there are plenty of people in the Xiao Sect who have designs on you, and for our wedding night, they'll be very, very uncomfortable. But they're also absolutely convinced that a pearl like you couldn't possibly fancy trash like me, so even though we're married, you wouldn't let me lay a finger on you, or even sleep under the same roof. So, in a little while, someone will definitely sneak over to laugh at me. If they see you've locked me out, I'll become a complete laughingstock."

"No matter what, I'm your husband now. Can you really bear to watch me be laughed at by them?"

The room remained silent. Just as Xiao Che was about to kick the door, the tightly shut door slowly opened.

Xiao Che darted inside with lightning speed, then slammed the door shut with a "bang."

Xia Qingyue, by the bed, maintained her previous posture. Though it was just an ordinary sitting pose, it exuded a subtle nobility and elegance. Her beautiful eyes shifted slightly, glancing at the somewhat disheveled Xiao Che, and she said coolly, "Do not come within five steps of me."

"...Then where do you want me to sleep?" Xiao Che grumbled, pouting his lips. The room was very small. The main furniture consisted only of a bed, a desk, a small dining table, and two cabinets. The entire room was at most seven or eight steps from east to west. Five steps away... would basically mean being squeezed into the corner by the wall opposite the bed.

"You sleep on the bed," Xia Qingyue said, standing up from the bed.

"No need!" Xiao Che flatly refused, then plopped down in the corner furthest from Xia Qingyue and closed his eyes. Although Xia Qingyue was hundreds of times stronger than him, upholding his male dignity, he absolutely refused to sleep on the bed while making her sleep on the floor.