The Pope's bedchamber.
Bibi Dong did not go to the Pope's Palace to handle affairs today.
Today, she was not Bibi Dong the Pope, but a wife about to be married.
"At last, the day has come."
Bibi Dong was not responsible for welcoming the guests. Yue Guan and Gui Mei handled that.
"Xiao Bai, are you happy?"
Bibi Dong turned to look at Bai Guyue, who was leaning against the window.
"Happy my ass."
"I'd be happy if you called it off right now."
Bai Guyue spoke irritably.
"Xiao Bai, you're still so stubborn. It doesn't matter, as long as I'm happy."
Bibi Dong paid it no mind.
"Then shut up." Bai Guyue rolled his eyes at Bibi Dong. She really should have kept her mouth shut.
Bibi Dong did not answer. She simply began getting ready in front of the mirror.
Meanwhile, at Spirit Hall's main gate, Yue Guan and Gui Mei were greeting the guests and showing them to their seats.
People from the Lower Four Sects and the smaller factions filed into the Pope's Palace. Only the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had yet to arrive.
"Old Ghost, why aren't those two great sects here yet? They've really kept us waiting."
Yue Guan grumbled.
They're dragging their feet. Don't they have any sense of time?
"Tell me about it. Let's wait. Getting anxious won't help."
Gui Mei spread his hands helplessly.
After another five minutes, the representatives of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect finally arrived.
Yue Guan watched Ning Fengzhi walk at the front, looking as if he were basking in a spring breeze, with a refined, easygoing smile. Yue Guan wanted nothing more than to punch him.
What are you smiling for? Do you know how late you are?
"Elder Yue, Ghost Elder, these are the wedding gifts my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect prepared."
Ning Fengzhi pointed to the chests behind him, which were being carried by disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. They contained a good deal of precious cloth, jewelry, and the like.
As for Spirit Bones... where would their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect get any? Even if they had one, he would have saved it for his own daughter.
"You're too kind, Sect Master Ning. Please, come in!"
Yue Guan ordered someone to accept the gifts, then had someone lead Ning Fengzhi and the others to the seats in the square before the Pope's Palace.
A Platinum Bishop stepped forward and led Ning Fengzhi and the others inside.
After the group entered, they waited another half hour, but there was still no sign of anyone from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
"Fuck, are these people coming or not?"
Yue Guan was so angry he could barely stand it.
After another twenty minutes, Yu Yuanzhen's figure gradually appeared in Yue Guan's sight.
As Yu Yuanzhen drew closer, Yue Guan put away his irritated expression.
"Sect Master Yu, you've finally arrived. Of all the factions, yours was the only one left."
How could Yu Yuanzhen not hear the pointed remark? But Yue Guan wasn't wrong to say it. They had run into some trouble on the way and lost some time.
"We ran into a little trouble on the road and were delayed. I hope you'll forgive us."
Yu Yuanzhen explained with a smile.
"Please, go in, Sect Master Yu."
Yue Guan couldn't be bothered with more talk. Just hurry up and get inside.
He ordered someone to show Yu Yuanzhen in, then had all the gifts he had brought carried into Spirit Hall's storeroom for Bibi Dong and Bai Guyue to inspect later.
Gui Mei glanced at the list of factions invited and confirmed that none were absent. Only then did the two of them go inside.
At that moment, the square before the Pope's Palace was a sea of people. The seats on both sides were nearly full of guests, and a red carpet had been laid down the middle.
A wind ensemble was playing, waiting for the couple to arrive so it could begin the climactic passage. Flying Soul Masters circled overhead, holding baskets filled with rose petals, ready to scatter them at any moment.
The major factions entered the Pope's Palace and clicked their tongues in wonder at the grand spectacle.
"Sect Master Ning."
Yu Yuanzhen cupped his fists in greeting.
"Sect Master Yu, it's been a long time. I didn't expect to see you here."
Ning Fengzhi responded with a smile.
The two hardly ever met.
The two great sects had no direct conflicts of interest or disputes, and their relationship was quite ordinary. As for the popular saying that the Upper Three Sects shared the same breath and were linked branch to branch, it was just talk.
Even the Clear Sky Sect, their leading big brother, had fallen. How could anyone still speak of the Upper Three Sects?
The two exchanged a few pleasantries, then each went about his own business.
Off to the side were several people from the Heaven Dou Imperial Family:
Prince Xue Xing and the four princes, with Dugu Bo and a little girl of about seven sitting beside them.
"Grandpa, this is so grand! It's my first time seeing anything like it."
Dugu Yan had never seen such a grand occasion. The impact it had on her at such a young age was easy to imagine.
"Yanyan, this is the Pope's wedding. Of course it's grand."
Dugu Bo spoke with a smile.
"Grandpa," Dugu Yan whispered, "I think this place is better than our Heaven Dou City. Why don't we just move here?"
Move... move here!
Dugu Bo looked at Dugu Yan's serious little face, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
He had actually been thinking the same thing, but he had yet to settle the debt of gratitude he owed Prince Xue Xing. It seemed that after the wedding, he would need to find Bai Guyue and discuss it properly.
If Yanyan were in Spirit Hall, there would naturally be no need to worry about her schooling. There was an academy here even better than Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
"Yanyan, we'll discuss it in detail after the wedding."
Dugu Bo set the matter aside for the time being.
Prince Xue Xing and the other four princes were all looking around, and with the venue so noisy, they naturally couldn't hear the conversation between grandfather and granddaughter.
Of the four princes, Xue Qinghe had worn a grim expression almost the entire time, without so much as a smile.
Hurry up, hurry up! I want to see who it is.
Xue Qinghe could no longer contain himself.
He had to see who was so bold.
"Everyone, everyone, please quiet down for a moment."
Yue Guan stood on the raised platform at the front and spoke softly, bringing the crowd to order.
Once everyone had quieted down, Yue Guan continued, "Welcome to Spirit City, everyone, to attend the wedding of His Holiness the Pope."
Gui Mei continued, "Next, let us welcome the final seven guests, the Seven Great Enshrined from the Worship Hall!"
"The Seven Great Enshrined!"
Everyone was astonished.
In an instant, seven streaks of light flashed across the sky and landed on the right side of the square.
Ning Fengzhi no longer knew how to put it into words.
Everyone from the Worship Hall had actually come to the wedding, and Bibi Dong was only an outsider. How could she command so much respect?
"Grandpa!"
Xue Qinghe didn't know how to express the feelings in his heart. He felt deeply aggrieved.
Grandpa clearly hates Bibi Dong most of all, so why did he come? And why are Grandpa Golden Crocodile and Grandpa Azure Luan smiling so brightly?
Qian Renxue was utterly baffled. Why???
Golden Crocodile Douluo and Azure Luan Douluo were happy because they still hadn't come down from the joy of their breakthroughs.
"Qian Daoliu..."
It had been a long time since Chen Xin had last seen Qian Daoliu. He hadn't expected to see him here.
It wasn't just the people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect who couldn't understand. Everyone present was at a loss as to why the seven had come.
Could Bibi Dong really have some treasure?
The seven Enshrined took their seats.
Yue Guan continued:
"Now that everyone is here, let us welcome today's newlyweds!"