Wharton's Wedding

Chiyan City, the Imperial Capital of the O'Brien Empire. Earl Baruch's manor.

Before dawn, everyone in the manor was already busy. Bright red silk hung all the way from the gates to the rear courtyard. Servants hurried through the corridors carrying trays, and the aromas drifting from the kitchens reached even the streets outside.

Hiri, the housekeeper, stood before the gates, checking every detail again and again. He was already over seventy, his white hair meticulously combed, and undisguised joy shone on his wrinkled face.

"Grandpa Hiri, take a break. You've checked everything three times already," a young servant said, running over.

Hiri glared at him. "It's the young master's wedding today. We can't afford any mistakes. Go check whether the tables and chairs in the hall are properly arranged, and check the guest seating chart again."

"Yes!" The servant dashed off.

In the training ground in the rear courtyard, An Baruch sat cross-legged on a slab of bluestone, meditating with his eyes closed.

"Brother."

Footsteps drew closer. Wharton approached in formal attire, followed by several servants who were frantically adjusting his clothes.

An opened his eyes, looked Wharton up and down, and smiled. "Not bad. You look sharp."

Wharton rubbed the back of his head and grinned. "It's just that these clothes are too tight. I can barely move."

"It's your wedding today. You're not going into a fight." An rose and patted his younger brother's shoulder. "Come on. Let's see whether Father is ready."

The two walked side by side through the corridor toward the front courtyard. Wharton stood a full head taller than An, his broad shoulders and powerful build making him look like an iron tower.

"Brother, are you nervous?" Wharton suddenly asked.

"What would I be nervous about? I'm not the one getting married." An chuckled.

"I didn't mean you were nervous. I meant I was nervous." Wharton swallowed. "I didn't sleep at all last night. I kept tossing and turning, wondering what I'd do if something went wrong today."

An stopped and looked at Wharton earnestly. "Wharton, Nina is a good girl, and you love each other. Today is simply the day you announce that to everyone. Nothing else matters. All you need to do is look at her."

Wharton froze for a moment, then nodded firmly.

That morning, the guests began arriving one after another.

Carriages formed a long line along Fushi Road outside the manor. The nobles' guards and servants were not permitted inside and had to wait at the gates. These people alone numbered more than two thousand, nearly blocking half the street.

Each carriage seemed more lavish than the last. Noblewomen in the latest gowns and priceless jewelry gracefully stepped down from their carriages with their maids' help. The young ladies were all dressed in their finest, each trying to outshine the others.

"Look! That's the special envoy from the Yulan Empire!"

"A carriage from the Dawson Chamber of Commerce! Chairman Monroe Dawson actually came in person?"

"Heavens, the War God Sect is here too! It's Lords Casrot and Lanke!"

Every name announced drew another wave of astonishment from the crowd. A wedding of such distinction was exceedingly rare in the entire history of the O'Brien Empire.

An and Linley stood at the entrance to the hall, greeting guests.

An wore a moon-white robe with a black leather belt, his long hair loosely tied behind his head. Beside him, Linley wore a close-fitting navy-blue warrior's outfit.

"Uncle Dawson, it's wonderful that you could come." An stepped forward and bowed slightly to Monroe Dawson.

Monroe Dawson stuck out his round belly, smiling so broadly that his eyes narrowed to slits. "My dear An, how could I miss your younger brother's wedding? That boy Yale has been talking about coming for ages. I just arrived ahead of him."

"Where's Yale?" Linley craned his neck to look behind Monroe.

"He's coming with Reynolds. They said they wanted to give your younger brother a surprise." Monroe laughed heartily.

As they spoke, Casrot and Lanke approached side by side. Both were direct disciples of the War God Sect and ranked among the finest Saint-level experts. Casrot wore a stern expression, while Lanke was smiling.

"Brother An, congratulations." Casrot cupped his fist. "Our teacher sent us to deliver a wedding gift. A small token of his regards."

He offered a brocade-lined rosewood box. An accepted it, and his heart stirred slightly as he sensed the faint aura seeping from within. It contained the magic core of a Saint-level magical beast.

"Lord War God is too kind. Please, come inside and rest." An stepped aside.

Not long after Casrot and Lanke entered, the crowd suddenly fell silent.

An attendant announced from outside, "Lord Sword Saint Olivier has arrived! Marquis Blumer has arrived!"

A stir swept through the hall. Olivier and Blumer walked in side by side.

Olivier wore a plain linen robe, while Blumer wore an elegant black formal suit. His left arm was still wrapped in bandages; the bone Wharton had broken last time had yet to heal completely.

Wharton stepped forward to greet them.

"Why is he here?" someone muttered.

"I heard that after Lord An defeated him at the Combat Arena, he secluded himself for intense training. Has he finally come out today?"

Many people inside and outside the hall wore knowing expressions. Every noble in the Imperial Capital knew that Blumer had pursued Princess Nina. He had publicly humiliated Wharton at the Combat Arena, only to have his arm broken by Wharton instead. Had he come to ruin the wedding today? Or...

Olivier approached the manor gates, his gaze sweeping over An and Linley before settling on An. They looked at one another for a moment, and sparks seemed to fly through the air.

"An."

"Olivier, please come in."

Olivier nodded and strode into the manor.

Blumer entered the manor, his gaze passing through the crowd until he found Wharton at the entrance to the hall.

Wharton wore a dark blue formal suit and was talking with his bride, Nina. She wore a white wedding gown, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders. A happy blush colored her fair face, and her shining eyes saw only Wharton.

A complicated look flickered through Blumer's eyes at the sight. Then he did something no one had expected.

He strode up to Wharton and bowed deeply.

"Wharton Baruch." Blumer's voice was quiet, but the guests around them heard every word. "I was arrogant and ignorant last time, and I offended you. I came today to apologize."

Everyone fell silent.

Wharton was taken aback. He looked at the bowing Blumer, then at Nina beside him. Nina gently tugged his sleeve.

Wharton stepped forward and seized Blumer by the shoulders. "Blumer, let's leave the past behind us. I'm glad you came to my wedding."

Blumer straightened, a trace of relief flashing in his eyes. He nodded and followed an attendant into the hall.

At noon, the wedding officially began.

The hall was packed with guests: nobles of the empire, envoys from various countries, representatives of the major chambers of commerce, and even tribal chiefs who had traveled all the way from the Far East Prairie. Seating was arranged by rank and status. The foremost tables were occupied by such distinguished figures as members of the imperial family, Saint-level experts, disciples of the War God Sect, and the chairman of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce.

Hogg stood in the very center of the hall.

He wore a dark red robe with a golden belt, his hair meticulously combed. At forty-seven, he was in his prime, powerfully built, with a resolute face that bore a strong resemblance to An and Linley. His steady, commanding gaze swept over the assembled guests.

"Friends and family."

Hogg began to speak. His voice was not loud, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly, spreading in waves like ripples from a stone dropped into water.

"Today marks the wedding of my son, Wharton Baruch, and Nina, the Seventh Princess of the O'Brien Empire. Thank you all for traveling so far to witness it."

The hall fell silent, and everyone turned toward Hogg.

"The Baruch Clan slumbered for a thousand years, but now it has finally been reborn." Hogg's voice trembled slightly before quickly steadying again. "As head of the Baruch Clan, I hereby declare that the wedding begins!"

Music filled the hall.

Wharton strode to the side door and took Nina's hand. Together, they walked up to Hogg. Wharton stood just over two meters tall, while Nina reached only his chest, yet they looked perfectly suited to one another.

They knelt before Hogg.

"Father," Wharton and Nina said together.

Hogg's eyes reddened slightly. He drew a deep breath and took a pair of dragon-shaped jade pendants from inside his robe. The pendants were green throughout, with the warm, smooth luster of jade-which they were indeed made of-and were carved with lifelike dragon patterns. They were heirlooms passed down through generations of the Baruch Clan.

"These jade pendants have been handed down through our Baruch Clan for generations." Hogg placed one around Wharton's neck and the other around Nina's. "Today, I entrust them to you. May you be united in heart and grow old together."

"Thank you, Father." Wharton and Nina kowtowed three times, then rose.

Thunderous applause filled the hall.

Standing near the front of the crowd, An could not help smiling at the happy faces of his younger brother and sister-in-law. He turned toward Linley and found him smiling as well.

"You're next," An whispered.

Linley rolled his eyes at him. "Why don't you say that about yourself?"

The wedding banquet lasted until evening.

Cups clinked throughout the hall as nobles gathered in small groups to chat about everything under the sun. An was not particularly comfortable on such occasions. After enduring several rounds of toasts, he took his wine cup and went to the training ground in the rear courtyard.

Moonlight spilled like water across the bluestone paving.

Suddenly, a figure descended from the sky.

It was an old man with white hair and a white beard, dressed in a plain gray robe. He landed before An and looked at him with a cheerful smile.

"An Baruch?"

An was startled. He had not sensed the man's arrival at all. This old man's strength was unfathomable.

"That's me. May I ask who you are?"

Instead of answering, the old man strolled over to a stone bench, sat down, and crossed his legs. "Not bad, not bad. To be so strong at such a young age-you compare quite favorably with those Dragonblood Warriors of the past."

An frowned slightly. Those Dragonblood Warriors? There are only a handful of God-level experts on the Yulan Continent. This must be Hodan, the Planar Overseer who appeared in the original story.

"Linley, come here as well," the old man called into the distance.

Linley was talking with Wharton in the rear courtyard. Hearing the voice, he approached in confusion. The instant he saw the old man, his expression changed as well, for he too had failed to sense his presence.

"An, who is this?" Linley asked.

"I don't know." An shook his head, then looked at the old man. "Sir, who exactly are you?"

The old man laughed. "Me? My name is Hodan. As for my position, you can think of me as the Planar Overseer."

"Planar Overseer?" Linley and An exchanged a glance. It was their first time hearing the term.

Hodan waved a hand. "Sit down, sit down. I have something to tell you."

An and Linley sat opposite Hodan.

Looking at them, Hodan said slowly, "Your Baruch Clan once had dozens of Dragonblood Warriors. It was far more powerful than it is now. But do you know where they all went?"

An and Linley both shook their heads.

"The Infernal Realm, one of the Four Higher Planes," Hodan said. "Your ancestors, including Baruch, your first clan leader, are all in the Infernal Realm. And not just the Dragonblood Warrior Clan. The ancestors of the other three Ultimate Warrior Clans-the undying warriors, Violet Flame Warriors, and Tiger-Striped Warriors-also left for other planes."

"Dozens?" This was Linley's first time hearing it as well, and he could hardly believe it.

Hodan nodded. "Your clan's history was altered. The real reason was pressure from the dragons, who forced your clan to conceal the truth. The method of awakening your bloodline by drinking living dragon blood was also deliberately hidden. Otherwise, the Baruch Clan would never have declined so far."

"Sir, did you come to find us just to tell us this?" An asked.

Hodan shook his head. "As the Planar Overseer, my duty is to inform every expert who reaches the Saint-level that they are eligible to leave the Yulan Plane and cultivate on a higher plane."

An and Linley exchanged a glance.

"Leave the Yulan Continent?" Linley frowned. "Could we return afterward?"

Hodan smiled. "It's almost impossible. Of a hundred thousand who leave, you'd be lucky if even one returned. So the decision is yours."

An thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Sir, I don't want to leave yet. I still have unfinished business."

Hodan seemed to have expected this and did not insist. "What about your two Saint-level magical beasts, then? They qualify as well."

Before Linley or An could speak, Bebe and Haeru darted out of a corner.

Bebe leaped onto Linley's shoulder and glared at Hodan. "I'm not going! I'm staying with my boss. Wherever he goes, I go!"

Haeru gave a low growl in agreement.

Hodan smiled helplessly. "Very well. But An, let me tell you this: Saint-level experts who stay behind cultivate far more slowly on material planes."

"I don't care," An said. "I have plenty of time. Besides, what I need to do can only be done here."

"All right. Since you've decided, I won't force you." Hodan rose. "If you change your minds someday, come find me at the Arctic Icefield. That's where the planar teleportation array is located."

Hodan gave the two brothers one last look, then rose into the air and flew north, vanishing into the night sky in an instant.

Linley stared in the direction Hodan had gone, remaining silent for a long time.

"An, do you think he was telling the truth?" Linley asked.

"That’s true," An said. "His strength is far beyond the Saint-level. He should be a God-level expert. He has no reason to deceive us."

"God-level..." Linley murmured. "The War God is God-level too. Above God-level experts are Sovereigns, and above Sovereigns are Overgods. It turns out this world is far larger than we imagined."

An smiled. "Large it may be, but what we need to do right now is here on the Yulan Continent. Big brother, don't overthink it."

Linley nodded.

The two returned to the front courtyard. The guests had all departed. Wharton and Nina were in their bridal chamber, the Barker Five Brothers were drunkenly swaying about, and Yale and Reynolds were still chatting in the courtyard.