Chapter 17: The Entrance
On the 412th day of the year 10009 of the Yulan calendar, this was the day of the engagement between the imperial capital's rising stars, 'Wharton' and 'Nina'. One of these young lovers was the younger brother of a Saint-level pinnacle powerhouse, the other was the daughter of the Empire's Emperor. For such an engagement ceremony, the number of attendees was absolutely massive.
The nobles in the imperial capital who had received invitations were extremely proud. Many ordinary nobles were not even qualified to receive an invitation. After all, if they were all invited, the Earl's estate wouldn't be able to accommodate so many people.
Today, the Earl's estate was filled with a joyous atmosphere. Outside the estate, the traffic was bustling. The carriages alone nearly blocked off most of Fushi Road. The noble's guards and servants were not qualified to enter the estate and had to wait outside. These guards and servants numbered in the thousands.
A sea of people!
Looking at those carriages, each one was more luxurious than the last. Those noble ladies and young misses were dressed more beautifully than the next, each one more eye-catching than the last. This engagement banquet at the Earl's estate was definitely a top-tier gathering among the nobility. Everyone who came here was a person of status.
"Brother, I always feel a bit uncomfortable dressed like this." Wharton had already spent a long time in his room. Today, Wharton was more nervous than he had ever been before.
Linley laughed and said, "Alright, Wharton, you already look very handsome. Be confident!"
Wharton took a deep breath.
"Come on, let's go to the main hall to greet the guests." Linley said with a smile, scolding him lightly. "You can't let Grandpa Hiri keep receiving guests outside all by himself, can you? For example, if His Majesty arrives, wouldn't it be improper if you didn't greet him personally?"
...
Linley and Wharton entered the main hall through the side door and gasped. Good heavens. The number of people was really extraordinary. And what's more, only some of the nobles had arrived so far; many important figures hadn't come yet.
"The imperial capital is indeed the imperial capital. There are far more nobles here than in Fenlai City." Linley sighed in admiration.
Back when Linley had attended Alice and Kalan's engagement ceremony, the number of guests that day clearly couldn't compare to Wharton's engagement today, and the status of the guests was also far inferior this time.
The number of nobles in a kingdom naturally couldn't compare to the number of nobles in an empire.
As soon as Linley and Wharton entered the main hall, they immediately became the focus of the entire hall. Wharton's tall and imposing figure was simply too eye-catching. Many people greeted them warmly.
"Wharton, come here." The butler, Hiri, immediately called out.
Wharton quickly went to the entrance of the main hall to greet the arriving guests one by one. Meanwhile, Linley, holding a wine glass, casually walked around the hall, occasionally clinking glasses with some guests.
Those nobles were also very self-aware and didn't come close to bother Linley. Instead, they would raise their glasses from a distance.
However...
Some noble young misses were all staring at Linley. They all knew that Linley currently had no wife. A man in his early twenties, who was also a Saint-level pinnacle powerhouse. Where could you find a man like that?
"Troublesome." Linley saw that three very forward noble young misses were walking towards him from different directions in the hall. Linley could only pretend not to see them.
Just as these three noble young misses were about a meter away from Linley.
"Whoosh~~" A gentle yet resilient wind blew against those young misses, making it impossible for them to get even a fraction closer to Linley.
Then, Linley, still smiling faintly, raised his glass and walked to a corner of the hall to sit down first.
"Master Linley, what did he just do?" A beautiful noble young miss with blonde hair and blue eyes became excited. "What kind of magical technique was that?"
The other two noble young misses also didn't know.
Not knowing didn't matter; it didn't affect Linley's status in their hearts. On the contrary... in their eyes, Linley became even more mysterious and powerful. In reality, Linley's move just now was simply a basic manipulation of the wind.
"At the Colosseum that day, did you see Master Linley's Dragonblood Warrior transformation? It was so wild, I was so excited I could die."
"It's really thrilling. I like that type. The boys in the academy are all so soft and weak, they have no spirit."
...
Linley's hearing was too good. Hearing the conversations of some noble young misses, Linley was speechless. His Dragonblood Warrior transformation was considered wild? And manly?
"His Majesty, has arrived——"
The voice of the attendant greeting guests at the front gate suddenly rose by several octaves, clearly amplified by battle qi. Even the guests in the main hall could hear it clearly.
The nobles in the entire hall immediately fell silent and looked towards the outside of the hall. There were also many nobles outside the hall, as the main hall alone couldn't accommodate everyone due to the sheer number of guests today.
"Johan is here?" Linley also stood up and walked out of the hall.
"Master." Gates, wearing his uniform, greeted Linley.
Today, the five Barker brothers were also wearing handsome, matching uniforms, patrolling the area. Their burly, imposing physiques alone made the nobles tremble with fear just by walking through the Earl's estate. They all sighed to themselves——no wonder it was the Dragonblood Warrior clan; even the family guards were this formidable.
His Majesty Johan was as radiant as ever. Holding the Queen's hand, he walked over, followed by a few guards.
"Wharton." His Majesty Johan was the first to see Wharton. Looking at the tall and handsome Wharton, he nodded approvingly. "Good, good."
It was then that Linley walked over.
"Your Majesty, please come inside and rest." Linley said with a smile.
"Alright, I still have a lot to discuss with Master Linley." His Majesty Johan said warmly. Then, the two of them walked into the living room. As for the other nobles and ministers, they wisely just stood nearby, offering flattery.
Nobles from the imperial capital arrived one after another, but Linley didn't get up to greet them. Those nobles also thought it was only natural. A Saint-level powerhouse greeting them? How could that be?
"President of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce, has arrived——"
The voice rose again, high and clear. The president of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce, one of the three major chambers of commerce on the continent. Although the Dawson Chamber of Commerce itself didn't have any Saint-level experts, its economic strength was unquestionable.
Even the Emperor, Johan, stood up and said to Linley, "This Monroe Dawson is a good friend of mine."
Linley also stood up.
Yale would definitely be coming with Monroe Dawson.
"Haha..." Monroe Dawson, with his large belly, walked in. Seeing His Majesty Johan, Monroe Dawson immediately bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty Johan."
His Majesty Johan also warmly said with a smile, "Monroe, today, Linley is the host here. You don't need to be so polite with me."
"Master Linley and I have known each other for a long time. I just didn't expect that in just a few short years, Master Linley would have achieved such accomplishments, haha..." Monroe Dawson's eyes were squinted into slits from laughing.
"Uncle Dawson, just call me Linley." Linley said with a smile. Since he and Yale were good brothers, he naturally had to show some respect to his father.
"Wharton, come and meet Uncle Dawson."
Wharton also walked over.
"What a handsome and sturdy young man." Monroe Dawson's eyes lit up when he saw Wharton. Clearly, Wharton's physique surprised him.
...
Nobles arrived one by one. Even Bulmer came. Today, Bulmer was indeed very gentlemanly and even congratulated Wharton.
However, Wharton felt a bit wary of Bulmer deep down. He always felt that Bulmer's words didn't match his heart.
"Bulmer, why didn't your eldest brother come today?" His Majesty Johan said to Bulmer with a smile.
"My eldest brother is currently in seclusion, preparing for his battle with Lord Heidens next month." Bulmer said with a smile.
"Oh, I see." His Majesty Johan nodded.
Bulmer then glanced at Wharton, who was greeting guests at the door, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. Wharton winning Nina this time made Bulmer deeply dissatisfied.
"Lord 'Heidens', the Rock Sword Saint, has arrived——"
As this voice rang out, His Majesty Johan, Linley, Monroe Dawson, and a large group of people immediately stood up and walked outside.
"Heidens actually came." Linley was also pleasantly surprised. He had thought Heidens wouldn't come, since he was preparing for next month's battle.
In a short while, Heidens, wearing a gray robe, walked in alone. His Majesty Johan, Linley, Wharton, and others all went forward to greet him.
"Haha, Wharton, congratulations." Heidens's smile was very warm. Then he looked at Linley and joked, "Linley, your younger brother is getting engaged. What about you, the older brother?"
Linley was stunned. He hadn't expected Heidens to ask that.
"Haha..." His Majesty Johan beside him also laughed heartily, nodding repeatedly. "Linley, you should get married too. If you have your eye on anyone, just tell me, and I'll definitely send that lucky girl to you."
Linley was at a loss for words.
"Lords of the War God's Hall, have arrived——"
This voice solved Linley's predicament. Everyone prepared to welcome the representatives from the War God's Hall.
"I didn't expect the War God's Hall to send someone." His Majesty Johan sighed in admiration.
Heidens beside him also nodded. The War God's Hall was a behemoth even on the Yulan continent. They rarely attended someone's wedding or such events. Unless it was a fellow disciple getting married, then other disciples would attend.
Lanke and Casrota walked in side by side.
Casrota said with a smile, "Haha, Brother Wharton, congratulations." In Casrota's view, since his teacher treated Wharton so well, Wharton was worthy of being called 'Brother Wharton'.
But his address confused Linley, Johan, Heidens, and others.
The disciples of the War God's Hall were all very proud.
They rarely looked up to others, but Casrota's behavior was truly puzzling.
"Today, the two of us, as fellow disciples, represent the entire War God's Hall in congratulating you on your great joy, Wharton. This is a gift that our teacher personally instructed me to bring." Casrota directly handed over a brocade box.
Teacher?
Everyone present was shocked. A gift from the War God?
"I am truly grateful." Linley was the calmest one, accepting the congratulatory gift with a smile. "Casrota, Lanke, come on in and rest for a while."
Normally, congratulatory gifts were accepted at the front, but how could the people accepting gifts at the Earl's estate dare to do so with someone from the War God's Hall? Even if they came empty-handed, it was an honor.
*******
The entire Earl's estate was bustling with noise. High-ranking nobles like dukes and marquises were chatting with each other, while Linley, His Majesty Johan, Monroe Dawson, and others were also casually chatting together.
The guests at this wedding were truly extraordinary.
Just look at the seating arrangements. At Linley's table were either Saint-level powerhouses, the Emperor of the Empire, or the president of a chamber of commerce. And just then——
"A Saint-level powerhouse is flying over." No one knew who shouted it. Linley and the others looked through the main hall's doors towards the sky outside. Indeed, a figure was gracefully descending from mid-air.
Linley, His Majesty Johan, and the others stood up in confusion.
No matter who it was, when a Saint-level powerhouse arrived, they had to at least show some respect.
The figure flickered in mid-air and appeared at the entrance of the main hall. He had long white hair and a white beard, clearly very old, but he had dreamlike, sky-blue eyes.
"Haha, I've come uninvited. I hope everyone doesn't mind." This white-haired old man said with a chuckle.
Then, without even looking at Linley and the others who had come to greet him, he walked straight towards the seats where Linley and the others had been sitting. Heidens, Casrota, and others who were in his way quickly stepped aside. This white-haired old man sat directly in the seat that had belonged to the Rock Sword Saint 'Heidens'.
"This seat is nice. I'll sit here." The white-haired old man said with a smile.
His Majesty Johan frowned slightly. This person was a bit too rude. Linley also felt that this white-haired old man was a bit too arrogant.
"May I ask..." Before Linley could finish, the Rock Sword Saint 'Heidens' said very respectfully, "I didn't expect you to come here today, my lord. It truly surprises and delights us."
Casrota, Lanke, and the others beside him also nodded repeatedly in agreement, their attitudes incredibly humble.