Halfway through the wedding banquet, after helping his parents entertain the important guests, Wu Cheng turned his gaze to Lin Huang. Although Chen Ruo had already confessed her feelings, Wu Cheng still felt it wasn't enough. He had to do something more to completely shatter any delusions Lin Huang might still have.
After thinking it over, Wu Cheng rose and walked over to Lin Huang's table.
"Lin Huang, come on. Let me introduce you to a few important people. I've heard a thing or two about your situation. Seems like everything's fine now, but you never know when someone might dredge up the past."
Wu Cheng put on the face of a good friend, but Chen Ruo knew him well. From his smile, she could tell he was planning to use the situation to hurt Lin Huang. She hesitated, but in the end, she didn't stop him. This might be for the best. Lin Huang can see reality for what it is, wake up from his lofty fantasies, and stop daydreaming and fooling himself.
Lin Huang didn't hear a word Wu Cheng was saying. He was lost in a strange state, as if all his past life in the Mortal World had been nothing but an empty dream, and he was slowly waking from it, finding what was real.
"That's the City Guardian."
"Those are some teachers I got to know at the academy."
"Lin Huang, don't worry. I'm introducing you, so they won't give you a hard time."
"But you'll have to be sharp, too. Don't offend anyone."
"Those important people aren't someone you can afford to offend. I can't either."
Wu Cheng prattled on, grabbing Lin Huang by the arm and preparing to lead him toward the head table.
Chen Xiang hurried to chime in. "Dacheng, Dacheng, take me with you! You've got to introduce me to those important people. Please!"
The other classmates chimed in one after another.
"Exactly, exactly. Dacheng, for old times' sake, put in a good word for me with the City Guardian."
"Can we go over and offer them a toast? That's Professor Wang from Yueshan Academy. Having a drink with him would be the greatest honor."
"Dacheng, please. Give a few of us a hand. You don't have to say anything nice about us. Just take us over, introduce us, and let us offer them a toast..."
His classmates' requests filled Wu Cheng with delight. He glanced smugly at Lin Huang, but when he saw that Lin Huang still wore an expressionless face, irritation flared inside him. Keep pretending, then. See if you're still so calm when you meet those important people. If you offend them, don't blame me.
Turning the thought over in his mind, Wu Cheng smiled and made light conversation with his classmates as he pulled Lin Huang along. But Spring-Autumn King reached out and stopped him.
"Will you people ever stop? 'Important people' this, 'important people' that. What the hell makes them so important? Do you even know what an important person is?!"
Spring-Autumn King's words swept across the whole room, drawing angry glares from everyone.
"What are you looking at? A bunch of short-sighted fools. A few junior Marquises, and you're already groveling at their feet. You really are hopelessly stupid."
Spring-Autumn King raised his voice. As soon as the words left his mouth, the entire banquet hall fell silent. Every eye turned toward him.
Wu Cheng already knew Spring-Autumn King was a friend Lin Huang had brought along. He was secretly pleased Lin Huang had made friends with such an idiot, but he put on an expression of righteous fury. "Apologize! Right now! You may be Lin Huang's friend, and you can insult me if you want, but insulting our elders is out of line."
"Lin Huang, what kind of friends do you make? Make him apologize, or when the elders hold you responsible, I won't be able to protect either of you."
As he spoke, Wu Cheng hurried over to the head table, his face full of apologies. "I'm sorry. They've had too much to drink and misspoke. Please don't hold it against them."
"Wu Cheng, don't invite people like this next time. Getting drunk and losing all sense of decency—what kind of behavior is that?" Wu Cheng's father said, his face dark.
"It's a joyous occasion. For the sake of this old face of mine, please don't take offense at the youngsters' behavior. Come, I'll drink three cups as an apology."
As Wu Cheng's father tried to smooth things over, he signaled for Wu Cheng to hurry up and get Lin Huang and the other man out of there.
Spring-Autumn King was fuming. As a King-Sealing powerhouse from the Law Enforcement Department, when had he ever endured such an insult? His hand moved as if to flip the table, and he let out a mocking laugh. "A few junior Marquises, and no one can say a word against them? What a joke! If I can't speak my mind today, then I'll have to slaughter my way through this place and paint the river red with blood..."
"So the troublemakers have come knocking. Dean Wu, allow me to discipline them for you."
A teacher from Yueshan Academy couldn't help speaking up.
He released his mid-Marquis power without holding anything back, instantly pressing down on the entire room. Silence fell.
"Discipline my ass! Even that old fossil from Yueshan wouldn't dare speak to me like that." Spring-Autumn King flew into a rage. He was just about to flip the table when a voice came from outside.
"Spring-Autumn King, why bother arguing with the youngsters?"
Halfway through the sentence, a middle-aged man with a refined air appeared in the hall. He wore a blue robe embroidered with three-headed flood dragons.
"Prefecture Lord Chen?"
"It's Prefecture Lord Chen!"
"Wu Cheng, hurry and pay your respects. This is Prefecture Lord Chen of Daqian Prefecture."
Wu Cheng's father and the City Guardian of South City immediately recognized the newcomer. The teachers from Yueshan Academy were also taken aback, and hurriedly bowed.
Prefecture Lord Chen was the nominal ruler of Daqian Prefecture and a veteran King-Sealing powerhouse. Though his rank matched Spring-Autumn King's, Spring-Autumn King knew Prefecture Lord Chen was a cut above him in strength. Otherwise, he couldn't have held an entire prefecture in check.
Seeing Prefecture Lord Chen arrive, Spring-Autumn King breathed a sigh of relief. "Old Chen, are you the only one here? The Three Holy Mothers didn't come? None of them did?"
Prefecture Lord Chen shook his head, looking at Lin Huang with a trace of curiosity. He had heard Lin Huang's name countless times, but only now did he realize the rumors were true: Lin Huang really was a young man barely out of his teens.
"What use are you, then? If the Three Holy Mothers aren't here, who can stop him if he goes berserk?" Spring-Autumn King fumed, pointing at the people who were staring in shock, their hearts turning cold. "These idiots think they know everything. I can't stand them. Do you think Lin Huang can? If he can't hold back, and the Three Holy Mothers aren't here, this place might really run red with blood today."
"Spring-Autumn King, please calm down." Prefecture Lord Chen's tone grew grave. "I just received word. The Ice-Sealed Sword Saint from Zhongnan Dojo, Saint Huolie, Saint Liehuo, and the Shadow Saint from the Hong Clan have all arrived in Daqian Prefecture."
"Therefore, Desolate Saint, now that you've attained Sainthood, why bother with these trivial affairs of the Mortal World? Why not leave and spare us this battle, and Daqian Prefecture's people this calamity?"
After speaking, Prefecture Lord Chen bowed deeply to Lin Huang. He wasn't bowing to Lin Huang, but to the lives of the countless people in Daqian Prefecture.
That single bow shattered the hearts of everyone from the Wu family.
The troublemakers they'd been trying to drive away included Spring-Autumn King, a King-Sealing powerhouse who seemed to stand on equal footing with Prefecture Lord Chen, and another man called Desolate Saint—a Saint.
Chen Xiang looked at Spring-Autumn King in despair, certain his own rolls of fat were about to be rendered down for oil.
The Yueshan Academy teacher who had spoken up looked as if he'd witnessed the apocalypse.
Dean Wu's face turned ashen, his heart in turmoil.
Wu Cheng could barely breathe. He couldn't believe it.
Chen Ruo was startled at first, but then a smile suddenly spread across her face. This is the Lin Huang I loved. You did it. You really did it. A tear slid from the corner of her eye. She wiped it away, glanced at Wu Cheng, and gripped his hand tightly. "I told you, I never regretted it. I didn't regret it before, and I don't now."
At a quiet murmur, the last trace of black in Lin Huang's eyes turned silver-white. The aura of a Saint could no longer be suppressed. It burst forth in a silent, violent surge, and all of South City began to collapse.
"Found you." Four lofty figures abruptly appeared in the sky above South City, a cold laugh ringing out.
Lin Huang raised his head to the heavens. His eyes had turned completely silver-white, cold and utterly devoid of emotion.
"Severing the Mortal World?"
"Crossing the Human Tribulation?"
"He's about to become a Demigod."
"Hahaha!"
After three murmured remarks, delighted laughter rang from the four figures. The Ice-Sealed Sword Saint and the others had finally arrived.
Before you continue