Arriving One After Another

Halfway through the wedding, after accompanying his parents to socialize with the big shots at the tables, Wu Cheng turned his gaze toward Lin Huang. Even though Chen Ruo had already confessed her feelings, Wu Cheng still felt it wasn't enough; he needed to do something more to completely shatter any delusions Lin Huang might still harbor.

Pondering for a moment, Wu Cheng stood up and walked over to Lin Huang's table.

"Lin Huang. Come, let me introduce you to a few important people. I've heard a bit about your situation. Although it seems like you're fine now, there's no guarantee that someone won't bring up the past again."

Wu Cheng wore the expression of a good friend, but Chen Ruo, who knew him well, could see from his smile that he was preparing to use his connections to belittle others. After a moment of hesitation, Chen Ruo didn't stop him. This is for the best. Let Lin Huang see the reality, wake up from his ethereal fantasies, and stop daydreaming and deceiving himself.

Lin Huang didn't hear a word of what Wu Cheng was saying. He had fallen into a strange state, as if the past Mortal World were merely a hollow dream, and he was slowly waking up from it, searching for the truth.

"That is the City Governor."

"Those are a few teachers I know from the academy."

"Lin Huang, don't worry. With my introduction, they won't make things difficult for you."

"But you need to be sharp; don't offend anyone."

"Those big shots—not to mention you, even I can't afford to offend them."

Wu Cheng chattered on, grabbing Lin Huang's arm and preparing to head toward the main table.

Chen Xiang, standing nearby, quickly chimed in, "Da Cheng, Da Cheng, take me with you, take me with you. You must introduce me to those big shots, please."

The other classmates also spoke up one after another.

"That's right, that's right. Da Cheng, for the sake of our years as classmates, help me put in a good word with the City Governor."

"Can we go over to toast them? That's Professor Wang from Yueshan Academy. To have a drink with him would be a tremendous honor."

"Da Cheng, please. Help your brothers out. You don't even have to say anything good; just take us over and introduce us so we can offer a toast..."

The requests from his classmates made Wu Cheng feel quite pleased. He glanced at Lin Huang with a look of triumph, but seeing that Lin Huang remained expressionless, he felt annoyed. Pretend, keep pretending. Let's see if you can keep up this act when you meet those big shots; if you offend them, that's none of my business.

With these thoughts in mind, Wu Cheng laughed and joked with his classmates, pulling Lin Huang along, only to be blocked by the Spring-Autumn King.

"I say, are you people ever going to finish? Big shots this, big shots that. Big shots my ass. Do you even know what a real big shot is?!"

The Spring-Autumn King's opening remark was a blanket attack, drawing angry glares from everyone.

"What are you looking at! A bunch of short-sighted fools. A few juniors who have reached the Marquis Realm are enough to make you grovel; you are truly beyond stupid."

The Spring-Autumn King raised his voice. As soon as these words were spoken, the entire banquet hall fell deathly silent, and everyone's gaze turned toward them.

Wu Cheng already knew this Spring-Autumn King was a friend brought by Lin Huang, and he was secretly happy that Lin Huang had made friends with such an idiot. However, he feigned great fury and said, "Apologize! Apologize immediately! Even if you are Lin Huang's friend, you can insult me, but insulting these elders is where you are wrong."

"Lin Huang, what kind of friends have you made! Tell your friend to apologize, or when these elders take offense, even I won't be able to protect you."

Saying this, Wu Cheng hurried to the main table, his face full of apology. "I'm sorry. They are drunk and spoke out of turn; please, do not take offense."

"Wu Cheng, don't invite such people next time. Losing one's composure after drinking—what kind of behavior is that?" Wu Cheng's father said with a dark face.

"On this joyous day, for the sake of my old face, please don't hold it against these juniors. Come, I will punish myself with three cups."

While smoothing things over, Wu Cheng's father signaled for Wu Cheng to quickly get rid of Lin Huang and his companion.

The Spring-Autumn King was livid. As a King-level powerhouse from the Law Enforcement Department, he had never suffered such indignity. His hand moved, ready to flip the table, as he cackled, "A few Marquis-level juniors, and I can't even speak the truth? How strange. If I can't speak today, then this seat shall start a massacre and paint this place in blood..."

"So, an unwelcome guest has arrived. Dean Wu, let me help you discipline them."

A teacher from Yueshan Academy couldn't help but speak up.

He unleashed his mid-Marquis cultivation without reservation, instantly suppressing the entire room into silence.

"Discipline your sister. Even the old man from Yueshan wouldn't dare speak to me like that." The Spring-Autumn King was enraged and just about to flip the table when he heard a voice from outside the door.

"Spring-Autumn King, why bother lowering yourself to the level of juniors."

Before the sentence was finished, a middle-aged man with a refined appearance, wearing a blue robe embroidered with a three-headed dragon, arrived in the hall.

"Prefecture Lord Chen?"

"It's Prefecture Lord Chen."

"Wu Cheng, hurry and pay your respects. The person who has arrived is the Prefecture Lord Chen of our Daqian Prefecture."

Wu Cheng's father and the South City Governor immediately recognized the newcomer, and the teachers from Yueshan Academy were also shocked, quickly bowing in respect.

Prefecture Lord Chen, the nominal ruler of Daqian Prefecture, was a veteran King-level powerhouse. Although his rank was the same as the Spring-Autumn King, the Spring-Autumn King knew that Prefecture Lord Chen's strength was a cut above his own; otherwise, he could not have suppressed an entire prefecture.

Seeing Prefecture Lord Chen arrive, the Spring-Autumn King breathed a sigh of relief. "Old Chen, just you? The Three Holy Mothers didn't come? Not a single one?"

Prefecture Lord Chen shook his head, looking at Lin Huang with a hint of curiosity. He had heard the name Lin Huang many times, but seeing him today, he realized the rumors were true—this Lin Huang was truly a young man in his prime.

"What's the use of you coming? If the Three Holy Mothers don't come, he's going to go mad, and who can stop him?" The Spring-Autumn King was frantic, pointing his finger at the crowd who were now dumbfounded and chilled to the bone. "This bunch of idiots, each one more arrogant than the last—I couldn't even stand it. Do you think Lin Huang can? If he can't, and the Three Holy Mothers don't show up, I fear today will truly end in a bloodbath."

"Spring-Autumn King. Calm yourself." Prefecture Lord Chen's tone became grave. "I also just received news that the Ice-Sealed Sword Saint, Saint Huolie, Saint Liehuo from the Zhongnan Dojo, and the Shadow Saint of the Hong Clan have already arrived in Daqian Prefecture."

"Therefore, Lord Desolate Saint, since you have already attained sainthood, why bother with these worldly affairs? It would be better to return and avoid this battle, and spare Daqian Prefecture from this catastrophe."

Having said this, Prefecture Lord Chen bowed deeply to Lin Huang. This bow was not for Lin Huang, but for the lives of the billions of people in Daqian Prefecture.

This bow also shattered the hearts of the Wu family members present.

The unwelcome guests they were about to drive away—one was the Spring-Autumn King, who, judging by the tone, was a King-level powerhouse on par with Prefecture Lord Chen, and the other was the Desolate Saint, a Saint among Saints.

Chen Xiang looked at the Spring-Autumn King with sorrow, feeling that his own fat was surely about to be rendered into oil.

The teacher from Yueshan Academy who had just scolded them felt as if he were witnessing the end of the world.

Dean Wu's face turned livid, his heart filled with trepidation.

Wu Cheng was nearly suffocating, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Chen Ruo was startled at first, but then she suddenly smiled; this was the Lin Huang she had loved, he had done it, he had truly done it. A tear streaked across the corner of her eye, which Chen Ruo reached up to wipe away, then she looked at Wu Cheng and gripped his hand tightly, "I told you, I have never regretted it—not in the past, and not now, either."

With a soft whisper, the last trace of darkness deep within Lin Huang's eyes instantly turned silver-white, and the aura of a Saint could no longer be suppressed, erupting with violent force; silently and soundlessly, the entire South City began to collapse.

"Found you." With a cold sneer, four figures standing high above suddenly appeared in the sky over South City.

Lin Huang looked up at the sky, his eyes having turned completely silver-white, cold and devoid of the slightest emotional fluctuation.

"Severing the Mortal World?"

"Crossing the Human Tribulation?"

"He is about to become a Demigod."

"Haha!"

After three muttered observations, a joyful laugh erupted from the four figures; the Ice-Sealed Sword Saint and the others had finally arrived.