Chapter 31: Ice Cloud Seven Immortals—Chu Yueli
“Wait a moment! You can’t leave just yet!”
A voice came from behind, causing Xiao Che to pause in his steps. Xiao Yulong walked quickly toward Xiao Che, his face full of righteous indignation. “Everyone knows that Xiao Che was married just four days ago, and the one he married is the first pearl of our Liu Yun City, Xia Qingyue of the Xia family. But let’s not forget the reason Xia Qingyue married Xiao Che! It’s because Fifth Elder’s son, Xiao Ying, once saved Xia Qingyue’s life! One reason was to repay that debt of gratitude, and the other was the marriage contract from sixteen years ago! But whether it was gratitude or the marriage contract, the one she should have married is Xiao Ying’s own son… and not this bastard with no Xiao Clan blood, who doesn’t even know where he came from!”
Xiao Yulong’s words suddenly reminded everyone. Indeed, Xia Qingyue married Xiao Che because of the marriage contract from sixteen years ago. And now that Xiao Che was no longer Xiao Ying’s son, this marriage was fundamentally a mistake!
Since it was a mistake, it should be…
Xiao Che did not turn back, and said coldly, “Xiao Yulong, my personal marriage is none of your business.”
“No, it is my business.” Xiao Yulong sneered, and said loudly, “Right now, everyone in Liu Yun City knows that the first pearl has married into our Xiao Clan. But after today, the whole city will know that the first pearl didn’t marry into the Xiao Clan at all, but instead married a bastard that the Xiao Clan raised for sixteen years! What a joke that will be!” His gaze shifted to Xia Hongyi, who had been silently standing in the back, and his voice rose another notch: “Clan Head Xia, I heard that you and Xiao Ying were like brothers back then, and marrying your daughter to him was probably your lifelong wish. But now that the truth is out, this Xiao Che is not Xiao Ying’s son at all—he’s just some bastard picked up from who knows where! I imagine you’re finding this hard to accept as well.”
Xia Hongyi remained silent, but his expression had indeed turned somewhat ugly.
The Xiao Clan disciples, who had long been unable to stand seeing Xia Qingyue married to Xiao Che, finally found a chance to vent their frustration completely. They began shouting in chaos.
“Xiao Yulong is right! Xia Qingyue married into our Xiao Clan! Now that we know Xiao Che is not a member of our Xiao Clan, this marriage must be annulled!”
“Fifth Elder knew perfectly well that Xiao Che wasn’t part of the Xiao Clan, and still pushed this marriage through… this is nothing short of shameless fraud!”
“Xiao Che is a useless piece of trash who can’t do anything right! He was never worthy of Xia Qingyue! Annul the marriage immediately and kick him out of the Xiao Clan!”
“Clan Head Xia! Say something… After being deceived by Fifth Elder and Xiao Che for so many years, and letting your daughter’s marriage become a joke, aren’t you angry?”
…………………………………………
Mocking voices, accusing voices, gloating voices, voices kicking someone when they are down, voices fanning the flames… The jealousy that had been simmering against Xiao Che for marrying Xia Qingyue finally found an outlet, and the mixed shouts grew increasingly harsh. Moreover, because they were standing on the side of “righteousness,” every single person condemned him with an air of moral authority, as if they were passing judgment.
At this moment, Xiao Yunhai spoke. He said coldly, “Xiao Che, you’ve heard what everyone has said. You have no right to marry the young lady of the Xia family. To prevent my Xiao Clan from becoming the laughingstock of Liu Yun City, and to prevent the Xia family from suffering further humiliation, hand over the marriage contract before you leave the Xiao Clan.”
Xiao Che did not speak. He reached into his bosom, and when he withdrew his hand, he was holding a marriage contract… He had carried this contract on him all along. Because within the Xiao Clan, there were far too many people who wanted to destroy it.
Xiao Yulong saw it and immediately stepped forward to snatch it away. But Xiao Che sidestepped and placed the marriage contract into Xia Qingyue’s hands.
Xia Qingyue took the contract instinctively, her gaze momentarily dazed.
“We are husband and wife. Whether we part or stay together will always be a matter between the two of us. Even the Heavenly King himself has no right to interfere.” Xiao Che looked at Xia Qingyue, his cold, hard voice reaching everyone’s ears. Then his tone softened, and he gazed at her tenderly: “But right now, I am not strong enough to protect this marriage contract, so I can only entrust it to you… If you still wish to be my wife, then keep it safe. If you want complete freedom… then that’s fine too. Destroy it.”
Xia Qingyue: “…”
Though he had placed the responsibility of protecting the marriage contract, and the right to choose, into Xia Qingyue’s hands—somewhat diminishing his male dignity—Xiao Che truly had no other choice at this moment.
Seeing Xia Qingyue quietly tighten her grip on the marriage contract, Xiao Che gave her a slight smile and nodded. His gaze swept past Xiao Lie, Xiao Lingxi, and Xia Hongyi in turn. Then he walked toward the main gate, never looking back, until his solitary figure stepped out of the Xiao Clan and disappeared from everyone’s sight.
Xiao Che was a nobody, and he always had been. Even within the Xiao Clan, he was an insignificant presence. Although his sharp words today had impressed quite a few people, it did not change this fact or the impression people had of him over the past fifteen or sixteen years. Thus, his departure was merely a trivial matter to everyone. It would only give them a moment to gloat… Soon, all their attention shifted back to the marriage contract in Xia Qingyue’s hands.
“Miss Xia, I imagine you must be furious after learning the truth.” Xiao Yulong approached Xia Qingyue with a chuckle. “Xiao Che not only deceived our Xiao Clan for sixteen years, but also brought trouble upon your Xia family. But it’s alright. Miss Xia only needs to tear up the marriage contract in your hand, and everything from before will vanish into thin air. The entire Liu Yun City will understand and support your decision. And with Miss Xia’s talent and beauty, you will definitely find a husband a thousand times, ten thousand times better than Xiao Che.”
Ever since witnessing Xiao Yulong’s disgraceful behavior last time, Xia Qingyue had detested him. At this moment, her disgust for him reached its peak. She said coldly, “Did you not hear what my husband said just now? Matters between husband and wife are no concern of outsiders!”
Xiao Yulong’s expression instantly changed… Many people’s expressions changed as well.
Almost everyone had believed that Xia Qingyue was forced to marry Xiao Che out of gratitude and to honor the marriage contract from sixteen years ago. Otherwise, with her beauty and talent, she could have chosen any dragon under heaven. Why would she willingly marry a completely useless waste? They had expected Xia Qingyue to tear up the contract without a moment’s hesitation. But instead, she had spoken words nearly identical to Xiao Che’s, and with absolute resoluteness. Her address for Xiao Che was still… “my husband.”
Xiao Yulong’s face turned the color of liver. This was completely different from the rhythm he had anticipated. Now that Xiao Che had been expelled from the Xiao Clan, Xia Qingyue, in principle, had no further connection to the Xiao Clan. If she refused to tear up the marriage contract, the Xiao Clan had no right to force her.
Xiao Lie’s previously dull eyes suddenly flickered with a strange light, and his gaze toward Xia Qingyue became extraordinarily warm. Under the heavy pressure of the Xiao Sect and the clamor of the Xiao Clan, she had spoken these words. No matter what happened in the future, she had fully lived up to Xiao Che… At the very least, she had defended his last shred of dignity.
Even Xiao Lingxi, who had always harbored an inexplicable hostility toward Xia Qingyue, now felt genuine gratitude toward her.
Xia Hongyi, who had remained silent, slowly nodded at this moment, a look of approval and satisfaction appearing on his face.
Xiao Kuangyun’s face also turned ashen. If Xia Qingyue refused to tear up the marriage contract, it would become far more troublesome for him to obtain her. Because behind him stood Xiao Moshan, the deputy head of the Xiao Sect’s Discipline Hall. Xiao Moshan was rigid and strict, and even Xiao Kuangyun was somewhat wary of him. He had come out with Xiao Kuangyun both to protect him and to monitor him, preventing him from doing anything that would disgrace the Xiao Sect’s reputation. Xiao Moshan would tolerate him fooling around with women, but would never allow him to forcibly take someone else’s wife… even if Xiao Kuangyun was the sect master’s own son, Xiao Moshan would interfere forcefully.
However, as the son of the Xiao Sect’s sect master, how could he be stymied by a merchant girl from Liu Yun City? He furrowed his brow and said forcefully, “This matter is not for you to decide! This marriage has affected the reputation of the Xiao Clan, and the Xiao Clan originates from my Xiao Sect. That means it indirectly affects the reputation of my Xiao Sect! The reputation of my Xiao Sect is renowned throughout the land, and I will not allow anyone to tarnish it! Xiao Ba, destroy that marriage contract!”
“Yes, Young Master!”
Xiao Kuangyun had forced out a flimsy excuse, but no one dared to refute him. Even Xiao Moshan remained motionless. Xiao Ba acknowledged the order, and his body suddenly leaped down from the high platform, charging toward Xia Qingyue’s position, his eyes locked firmly on the marriage contract in her hand.
The Xiao Sect had taken action. Even if it was only an attendant, who in Liu Yun City could stop him? Just as everyone thought Xia Qingyue’s marriage contract was doomed, a whistling sound suddenly descended from the sky, accompanied by an icy, bone-chilling wind…
Whoosh!!
Xiao Ba’s body, which had not yet landed, was sent flying back, landing disgracefully back on the high platform. He lay sprawled there, trembling all over, unable to get up for a long time… If one looked closely, they would see a thin layer of ice covering the surface of his body.
The sudden turn of events caused gasps of surprise throughout the venue. Xiao Moshan’s eyes, which had been closed, snapped open, and his gaze shot upward… At that moment, a clear, icy voice came from above: “The Xiao Sect is becoming more and more impressive, actually interfering in the marriage affairs of my palace’s disciple! Who gave you the right?”
The sky was clear blue, with occasional white clouds. A woman in white was floating in midair, her icy eyes looking down upon the crowd with arrogance. Her face was peerlessly beautiful—snow-white skin, red lips, jade-like bones, and an icy, ethereal beauty. She was pure and holy, like a moon palace fairy descending from the sky, or a solitary, proud heavenly ice lotus untouched by worldly dust.
Though her features could be clearly seen, no one could determine her age. She seemed in her twenties, then in her thirties, then perhaps only in her teens… Around her body floated crystalline ice spirits, like the breath of a celestial maiden, beautiful and dreamlike.
The stunning sight in the sky left everyone dumbstruck. Then, a trembling cry rose from the crowd…
“Xuan… Xuan Du Xukong! It’s Xuan Du Xukong!”
That cry was like a thunderclap, shocking everyone into opening their mouths wide, their eyes bulging. Their gazes toward the woman in the air changed drastically…
That’s right! The woman in the air was clearly floating without any profound artifact, nor riding a flying profound beast! She was floating entirely with her own power! And to float using profound force, achieving “Xuan Du Xukong,” one had to be at least at the Heavenly Xuan Realm!
This woman in the air was actually a legendary… Heavenly Xuan Realm expert!
“Ice Cloud… Seven Immortals!” Xiao Moshan murmured under his breath, his entire body tense, deep fear flashing in his eyes!
“What? What did you say?” Xiao Kuangyun had been gazing at the woman in the air with rapt fascination. When the words “Ice Cloud Seven Immortals” reached his ears, his entire body jolted… Ice Cloud Seven Immortals! They belonged to the Ice Cloud Fairy Palace, seven women whose status was second only to the palace master. They were seven people even his father deeply feared! It was said that among the Ice Cloud Seven Immortals, the weakest was at the Heavenly Xuan Realm! The strongest was said to be half-step into the King Xuan Realm!
It was also the existence of these Ice Cloud Seven Immortals that kept the Xiao Sect’s position suppressed by the Ice Cloud Fairy Palace. For three consecutive Cang Feng Ranking Battles, the Xiao Sect had lost to the Ice Cloud Fairy Palace.
“Young Master, she is Chu Yueli, the fifth of the Ice Cloud Seven Immortals! I don’t know why she is here… But whatever you do, do not offend her… Even ten of me combined would be no match for her!” Xiao Moshan said in a low voice. He knew exactly what kind of person Xiao Kuangyun was. This guy was obsessed with lust. If he showed any lasciviousness toward Chu Yueli and provoked her, the consequences would be unimaginable!
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