Wedding wine?

"What's the panic!"

Lu Tao's smile froze on his face. He swept his gaze across the disciples, his expression darkening as he said:

"The Seven Stars Sect's inner disciples have always been arrogant and ignorant."

"Just avoid them. Why the need for such panic?"

"Hall Master, we can't avoid them!"

The disciples wore long faces, pouring out their grievances.

"Spirit Spring City, Black Tiger City, Azure Dragon City..."

"Nearly a thousand inner disciples from the Seven Stars Sect have moved out simultaneously, sweeping through over a hundred of our Sky Wolf Gang's strongholds."

"Within a single day, whether it's our Sky Wolf Gang's base or the local affiliated gangs, all have suffered complete casualties!"

Nearly a thousand inner disciples mobilized, over a hundred cities destroyed...

The news struck Lu Tao like a bolt from the blue, leaving him scorched inside and out.

"Li Qingshan..."

Lu Tao spoke with difficulty, a bitter taste in his mouth.

Only five days had passed since he sent that letter, and the Sky Wolf Gang had already faced the Seven Stars Sect's fierce retaliation.

With such coincidental timing, Li Qingshan was undoubtedly the mastermind behind it all!

Lu Tao couldn't help but recall the threat Li Qingshan made more than a month ago.

"Oh right, you should know how many senior brothers and sisters I have, right?"

His words still echoed in his ears, But only now did Lu Tao truly understand the weight of those words!

The Seven Stars Sect, seated in the center of the continent, its disciples traveled the world.

The Sky Wolf Gang had many affiliated gangs, and naturally, there were many conflicts with the Seven Stars Sect's disciples.

But with their proactive concessions, they had never encountered the Seven Stars Sect using its power to bully others.

This time, when facing Li Qingshan, he had also "retreated again and again."

He never expected that the Seven Stars Sect would directly reveal its ferocious claws.

No, it was just the tip of the iceberg!

In just a few days, the Seven Stars Sect could only mobilize inner disciples from near the Sky Wolf Gang to take action.

These inner disciples were merely the "tip of the iceberg" of the Seven Stars Sect.

However, even just the "tip of the iceberg" was not something his Sky Wolf Gang could contend with!

Thinking of this, Lu Tao instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

Although the Sky Wolf Gang had an Outer World Celestial sitting in command, it was impossible and they wouldn't dare to really attack the Seven Stars Sect's disciples.

Moreover, this conflict was caused by him!

Lu Tao's eyes burned as he stared fiercely at a few disciples, urgently asking:

"Besides destroying a hundred cities, did the Seven Stars Sect leave any words behind?"

The disciples looked at each other, blank-faced and confused.

Lu Tao's expression immediately relaxed, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good..."

"What's good?!"

A furious roar erupted in the air, stirring up the wind and clouds.

A burly old man descended from the sky!

The disciples immediately knelt on one knee, cupping their fists in both hands.

"Greetings, Gang Leader!"

The Sky Wolf Gang Leader, Duan Yibai.

An Outer World Celestial, ranked thirty-second on the Heavenly Rankings!

Duan Yibai's eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at Lu Tao, laughing in extreme anger.

"That's good? Is it good that they haven't discovered you, the 'culprit'?"

"You still want to hide it at this point, do you really think I, this gang leader, am dead?"

Under the barrage of questioning, Lu Tao's knees immediately weakened, and he fell to the ground, his face pale as he said:

"Gang Leader, please forgive me! I have already made repeated concessions to Li Qingshan, I never expected him to act like this, completely disregarding the rules of the martial world!"

"The rules of the martial world?" Duan Yibai sneered, saying fiercely:

"I think you've been in the gang for too long and have forgotten what the martial world is really like!"

"In the martial world, what rules are there to speak of? Only the struggle between the strong and the weak!"

"Li Qingshan is nothing, but standing behind him is the Seven Stars Sect!"

Duan Yibai glanced at the disciples and said no more.

He took a deep breath, turned his gaze to Lu Tao, who was kneeling on the ground, and said coldly:

"Go find Li Qingshan yourself and resolve this grudge. Otherwise, you will be sliced into a thousand pieces!"

He threw down those words, and his figure vanished instantly.

The disciples stood frozen in place, exchanging glances, none daring to speak.

Lu Tao rose to his feet, dejected, ignoring them, and shot into the sky, speeding away.

Outside Red Leaf City, in the desolate mountains and forests.

A thick fog spread, enveloping the mountains and forests.

The mist soaked the branches and leaves, and water droplets gathered at the tips of the leaves, teetering.

Drip!

The water droplets fell and shattered.

The sound of a suona suddenly rang out, coming from deep within the fog.

The melody was high-pitched and bright, with festive music echoing around.

Flickering figures emerged from the mist, and a bright red bridal sedan chair was particularly eye-catching.

Four porters were strong and sturdy, their steps steady and powerful.

Seven or eight servants carried red-draped wooden boxes, following behind.

In front of the sedan chair, four musicians held suonas, playing with all their might.

"All of you, put some effort into it, and you won't be shortchanged on the reward money!"

The matchmaker walked beside the sedan chair, looking at the heavy fog, fear in her eyes.

One of the porters shook his head and chuckled, comforting her:

"Auntie Wang, don't be afraid. It's common for the mountains and forests to be foggy. You won't encounter anything evil."

"Pah, pah, pah!"

The matchmaker spat forcefully a few times, displeased, "What are you saying on such an auspicious day! If you can't speak properly, shut your mouth!"

"All of you, walk faster, don't delay the hour!"

Just as she was speaking, the sound of the suona suddenly stopped.

The matchmaker's face turned angry, and she was about to question them.

The musicians in front retreated one after another, their faces filled with fear.

The matchmaker followed their gaze and her heart also panicked.

In the fog, a figure was faintly visible, sitting cross-legged on withered branches and fallen leaves.

The matchmaker swallowed, mustered her courage, and asked:

"Who is ahead, and why are you blocking Miss Song?"

The figure slowly rose, and amidst the fearful gazes, walked forward.

The fog dissipated, revealing the figure, which was a young man holding a knife.

Immediately, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"This young master, you scared me to death."

The matchmaker patted her chest and said in a low voice:

"In this desolate wilderness, I almost thought I had encountered... that kind of thing."

"I am Li Qingshan, new to the martial world, with shallow experience. I was careless for a moment and got lost in this desolate forest."

Li Qingshan smiled apologetically, cupping his hands, "I didn't expect to frighten everyone, I'm truly sorry!"

"To meet is to be fated!" A clear female voice floated from inside the sedan chair, "Today is my joyous day. If Young Master Li doesn't mind, why not join us at the Lin family and have a glass of wedding wine?"

"Thank you for Miss Song's invitation, I will accept it without ceremony."

Li Qingshan smiled slightly and cupped his hands towards the sedan chair.

The suona sounded, and festive music echoed through the mountains and forests, and the wedding procession began to move again.

Li Qingshan walked in the procession, chatting with the matchmaker, porters, and servants from time to time.

They chatted about everything, from trivial family matters to the happenings in and around the city.

Suddenly, "Young Master Li, could you tell me what the jianghu is like?"

A clear, feminine voice floated from within the bridal sedan, filled with curiosity.

Li Qingshan turned his gaze towards the sedan and said with a smile, "Of course, but I'm also new to the jianghu and don't know much."

"Let me tell you a story about a 'courier company'!"

"Thank you, Young Master Li!"

Inside the sedan, Miss Song thanked him with delight.

The matchmaker, walking beside them, frowned, but in the end, she shook her head and didn't interfere.

"In a faraway land, there once was a city called Longwind City. Within the city, there was a courier company named Everluck..."

The wedding procession continued, the festive sound of the suona horns echoing through the mountains and forests.

Through the bridal sedan, Li Qingshan recounted "tales of the jianghu," bit by bit.

Miss Song's voice gradually became more lively, and she frequently asked questions out of curiosity, to which Li Qingshan answered each one.

An hour later, the fog gradually dissipated, and the wedding procession was about to leave the desolate forest.

The festive suona music came to an abrupt halt.

The matchmaker, musicians, sedan carriers, servants...

Everyone stopped, frozen in place, their eyes devoid of light.

Their heads turned mechanically, looking over, the corners of their mouths stretched upwards in an exaggerated smile.

Li Qingshan ignored them, walked to the front of the bridal sedan, and lifted the red curtain.

A young woman of sixteen, dressed in a bright red wedding gown, held a three-inch wooden sculpture in her hands.

The sculpture was made of redwood and seemed to be the young woman's handmade toy.

But at this moment, the sculpture was emitting a bloody light, as if it were draped in a bloody robe.

Li Qingshan's gaze moved upwards, towards the young woman's face.

Her eyes were vacant, her expression blank, and the corners of her mouth were pulled up high, like a mask.

His right hand gripped the hilt of his saber, and Li Qingshan sighed softly.

"Unfortunately, I won't be able to drink your wedding wine..."