In the blink of an eye.
The Xu Household's wedding procession had entered Azure Cloud Street.
The Yang Household's residence was faintly visible ahead.
Xu Mingshu's eyes curved into crescents, and her lips lifted to reveal two little dimples.
"Little White, give them a roar. Let the Yang Household know we're here."
The White Tiger immediately let out a mighty roar, waves of sound briefly drowning out even the suona horns.
Fortunately, only Xu Mingyuan and a few others were riding horses. With their strength as martial artists, they could rein in their mounts and keep them from bolting.
"Xueji, you could at least have warned us first," Xu Mingyuan said with a wry smile.
"Exactly. We nearly ended up embarrassing ourselves," Xu Mingxuan added helplessly.
"I forgot." Xu Mingshu stuck out her tongue.
"Keep moving!" Xu Mingwei called out.
Not far away.
Everyone except Yang Shichang was startled by the unusual tiger's roar.
The imposing power within it was nothing an ordinary tiger's roar could match.
"What's going on? Why is there a tiger roaring? Since when have tigers been allowed into the city?"
They exchanged bewildered looks.
Yang Shichang laughed inwardly. That's what you get for being so high and mighty.
You deserve to suffer a little.
Immediately afterward.
The wedding procession came into view.
Among them, a Red-Gold-Eyed White Tiger more than half a person's height padded slowly forward.
Their gazes all turned toward the tiger, their eyes filled with surprise.
The man who had earlier called Yang Shichang his younger cousin curled his lips slightly and asked, "Does the Xu Household have someone skilled at taming beasts?"
"Cousin Shihui, I wouldn't know," Yang Shichang replied offhandedly.
They reached the main gate.
Xu Mingwei swung down from the White Tiger and stepped forward with his hands clasped. "Xu Mingwei of the Xu Household, here to escort my bride."
Xu Mingyuan and the others also dismounted and stood behind him.
Yang Shihui and the others looked Xu Mingwei over.
"He's a fine-looking man, worthy of Cousin Ronghua. But looks alone aren't enough."
"Exactly," said a youth of seventeen or eighteen dressed in a brocade robe. "In times like these, without martial strength, you can't protect anyone."
"If you want to take my cousin away, you'll have to get past me first."
"My name is Qi Wenzhi. Which of you will face me?"
Xu Mingyuan was closest to him in age, but he was not proficient in combat.
Charcoal Head's strength was about the same as Xu Mingyuan's, but his youth put him at a disadvantage.
Given another two or three years, he would definitely become a formidable Second-Rate Martial Artist, perhaps even approach the level of a First-Class Martial Artist.
"Fourth Sister, you go," Xu Mingxian whispered.
"Me?"
"I can tell he's strong. No one but Eldest Brother can handle him, but we can't have Eldest Brother deal with every random challenger. What would we have come along for, then?"
"You have a point."
Xu Mingshu took several steps forward and faced Qi Wenzhi without fear. "I'll take this fight."
"Hahaha! Has the Xu Household run out of people? Sending a little girl like you?"
Qi Wenzhi laughed loudly and waved her away. "Shoo, shoo. Go play house somewhere else."
Anger flashed in Xu Mingshu's eyes. "Little White, whip him!"
The White Tiger, who had been waiting quietly at the back, immediately sprang forward at her call and landed before her. A long black-and-white tail like a steel whip lashed straight at his abdomen, carrying a fierce rush of wind.
Qi Wenzhi was greatly startled and hurried backward, but he was a little too late.
The tail barely grazed his body, yet he went flying backward and landed face-first, like a dog eating dirt.
"What the hell was that!"
"Roar!"
A vicious gleam filled the White Tiger's eyes as the tiger roared brazenly at the crowd outside the Yang Residence.
Several people retreated a few steps under the intimidating force of that roar.
Only Yang Shihui remained perfectly still.
"What skill is there in relying on a tiger? If we took up weapons, we could certainly slaughter this beast."
Xu Mingshu showed no fear. "Commanding fierce beasts is my skill. If you don't like it, come out and try your hand against my Little White."
"No, no, no. It's a joyous day. Drawing blood would be unlucky."
Yang Shichang hurried to stop them.
"Cousin, it seems the Xu Household isn't entirely without merit."
Yang Shihui suddenly spoke, turning to Xu Mingwei. "My uncle told me you're quite strong and have the makings of a Grandmaster. Let's have a bout. If you win, we won't stop you again. How about it?"
"Please." Xu Mingwei wasted no words.
The two immediately exchanged blows.
Bang, bang, bang!
Several moves passed in succession, but neither gained the upper hand.
Xu Mingshu asked curiously, "Brother Shichang, this man is really impressive. He can actually fight my eldest brother."
Yang Shichang patted her head. "Don't underestimate the people of this world."
"My cousin is twenty-one this year and is also at the houtian peak. Once he spends another few months consolidating his foundation, he'll take a Qi-Inducing Pill and attempt to become a Xiantian Martial Artist. He's one of the rare talents in my household's generation."
"He's still not as good as my eldest brother. My brother is only nineteen," Xu Mingshu snorted.
"Perhaps, but the foundations of the main Yang Household aren't something the Xu Household can compare with. It's hard to say what the future holds."
Then Yang Shichang added, "This brother-in-law of mine certainly counts as an outstanding talent in Moon Lake Commandery, but the truly exceptional ones become Xiantian Martial Artists before they turn twenty."
"Hmph. My eldest brother won't lose," Xu Mingshu declared firmly again.
"Brother Xu, you truly are remarkable. It's no easy thing for a mere county town to produce someone like you. But unless you defeat me, don't expect me to let you through the Yang Residence's gates."
Xu Mingwei stood with the imposing presence of a mountain, his eyes blazing like torches as he watched Yang Shihui quietly.
"You're deliberately making things difficult for me, Brother Yang. In that case, I won't hold back anymore."
"Show me what you've got," Yang Shihui said confidently.
He would not dare claim to be invincible in the Commandery Seat, but in a county town, he was confident he could sweep through every opponent.
After all, the Yang Household's depth of martial learning and techniques was beyond anything a small lineage in a county town could match.
"Your martial techniques are indeed exquisite, Brother Yang. But I can overcome ten kinds of skill with sheer strength."
Xu Mingwei held nothing back any longer.
Inner force surged within him, circulating through the acupoints throughout his body.
His plain, unadorned punch struck straight at the heart like a pillar reaching into the heavens.
At first, Yang Shihui regarded it with some disdain. But as the wind of the punch rushed into his face, he immediately understood what made this ordinary punch extraordinary.
Sheer strength overcame ten kinds of skill!
"Black Tortoise Hand!"
Yang Shihui tried to disperse the force with this martial technique, but Xu Mingwei's power far exceeded his own. Even after part of it was deflected, the punch still broke free of the arm winding around it.
Rrrip!
His sleeve burst apart.
A blow struck his chest, driving him back more than ten steps. Once he stopped, he let out a muffled grunt.
A sweet, coppery taste welled up in his throat, but he forced it back down.
"Cousin!"
The Yang Household's younger members called out, their faces full of concern.
Yang Shihui waved them off and laughed toward Xu Mingwei. "What a fine display of sheer strength overcoming ten kinds of skill!"
"You're worthy of my cousin."
With Yang Shihui having spoken, the other members of the Yang Household naturally did not dare bar the way again.
"Thank you."
Xu Mingwei clasped his hands with a slight smile and was about to lead his companions inside.
"Wait." Yang Shichang stopped him. "You've passed my cousin's test, but there's still mine."
"Brother Shichang, it's not that I look down on you, but you'd better not go asking for suffering," Xu Mingshu said with a bright smile.
"Little Xueji, I never said we were going to fight." Yang Shichang's lips curved upward. "My dear brother-in-law, if you want to go inside, first compose a poem urging the bride to finish dressing!"
"Good thing I prepared in advance." Xu Mingwei breathed a sigh of relief. "Listen closely, then."
"A fragrant carriage, silk-canopied, waits beside the willow ford; silver candles in the painted hall illuminate this lovely hour.
Before the diamond-flower mirror, fresh brows are drawn; before the tortoiseshell curtain, old dust is wiped away."
"Wonderful!"
Cheers filled the hall, and applause thundered.
Then Xu Mingwei paced a few steps with his hands behind his back before continuing:
"Do not say the fairy maiden dresses slowly; know that Xiao Shi waits often at the gate.
The east wind has readied reins of golden thread, awaiting only you to smooth your cloudlike hair."