Chapter 569: Four Sacred Saint Clans Come to Propose Marriage
Qianshui Commandery Prince and Liuli Half-Saint stood side by side at the front. As Huang Yanchen's parents and elders, they actually didn't need to come out to welcome Zhang Ruochen.
However, Zhu Hongtao and Wan Ke, who accompanied Zhang Ruochen to deliver the betrothal gifts, were renowned experts in the Eastern Domain. Their strength and seniority were undeniable. Not only did Qianshui Commandery Prince and Liuli Half-Saint come out to greet them, but even the vein master of the branch lineage to which Liuli Half-Saint belonged personally came out to welcome them.
Apart from the family head, each of the eight main veins and seventy-two branch veins had a vein master.
A vein master was a high-ranking member of the Chen Clan, whose main authority was to manage the clan members of their own vein, essentially acting as a minor family head.
The vein master of the lineage to which Liuli Half-Saint, Huang Yanchen, and Qianshui Commandery Prince belonged was Liuli Half-Saint's grandfather and also Huang Yanchen's great-grandfather.
This man was named Chen Ji, nearly two hundred years old. He had once been a powerful figure who shook the Eastern Domain, but now, advanced in age, he rarely appeared in public.
Huang Yanchen and Zhang Ruochen's marriage, in a sense, represented an alliance between the Chen Clan and Xuanji Sword Saint, making it a major event.
Therefore, as a vein master, Chen Ji had to come out to oversee the proceedings regardless.
Second Senior Brother Zhu Hongtao and Third Senior Brother Wan Ke walked at the front.
Zhang Ruochen, as the junior, naturally walked behind his two senior brothers.
Wan Ke was a relatively steady man, extremely cultured and well-mannered. Even from a distance, he immediately cupped his hands and bowed to Chen Ji, saying with a smile, "Greetings, Senior Chen Ji."
Chen Ji dared not be negligent. Gripping his cane, he stepped forward three paces and also cupped his hands slightly, smiling, "Half-Saint Wan Ke, Saint Hongtao, why must you two be so polite with this old man? From now on, we are in-laws. Too many formalities would only create distance."
Although Chen Ji was far older than Wan Ke, his cultivation level was inferior to Wan Ke's.
In the Sacred Dao realm, Wan Ke's status was even slightly higher than Chen Ji's.
Moreover, besides Wan Ke, there was Zhang Ruochen's second senior brother, Zhu Hongtao. Though not human, Zhu Hongtao was Xuanji Sword Saint's second disciple, had lived for over six hundred years, and had reached the Saint realm.
In terms of seniority and status in the Sacred Dao, Zhu Hongtao could leave Chen Ji far behind.
Because of these two points, although Chen Ji was a vein master representing the Chen Clan, he dared not show any disrespect to the two men before him.
Wan Ke glanced at Zhang Ruochen and smiled, "Our junior brother came to the Chen Clan to deliver betrothal gifts. Originally, our master should have accompanied him personally. However, Master had some urgent matters to attend to, so he sent me and Second Senior Brother to visit instead. I hope Senior Chen Ji won't take offense."
Chen Ji knew that Wan Ke was just being polite.
Given Xuanji Sword Saint's identity and status, if he personally accompanied Zhang Ruochen to the Chen Clan to deliver betrothal gifts, the one coming out to welcome them would have to be the current family head of the Chen Clan to be worthy.
Chen Ji smiled, "Let's talk inside the mansion first. We really should discuss the marriage of these two young ones properly. Please!"
The western gate of the Eastern Domain Saint Prince Mansion slowly opened, emitting a rumbling sound.
Moments later, the two massive bronze doors, each weighing a million jin and carved with dragons, swung fully open, revealing a forty-zhang-wide jade road stretching deep into the mansion.
At a glance, the end of the jade road was nowhere in sight.
Chen Ji, Wan Ke, and Zhu Hongtao led the way, while Liuli Half-Saint, Qianshui Commandery Prince, Zhang Ruochen, and Huang Yanchen followed behind. Further back were the ten carts of betrothal gifts escorted by Si Xingkong and Chang Qiqi.
The group walked leisurely, chatting and laughing as they slowly entered the gate.
In the distance, atop a twelve-story purple-gold tower, two old men stood on the highest floor, watching the lively scene outside the western gate.
The green-robed old man shook his head and sighed, "Old Chen Ji is really lucky. To have a descendant marry a Sword Saint's disciple. From now on, their vein's voice in the family will probably surpass ours."
"Indeed. Chen Ji's vein ranks at the bottom among the seventy-two branch veins. But now, with the Sword Saint backing them and Zhang Ruochen, that unparalleled proud son of heaven, their momentum has reached its peak. It's truly infuriating."
The white-robed old man's eyes flickered with a cold light. His withered hand tightly gripped the railing of the purple-gold tower. The hard railing, soft as tofu, was easily dented by his grip.
The green-robed and white-robed old men were also vein masters of the Chen Clan, both stronger than Chen Ji.
Now that Chen Ji's vein had allied with a Sword Saint's disciple through marriage, it disrupted the balance of power among the seventy-two branch veins, naturally displeasing them.
Within the Chen Clan, this marriage brought joy to some and sorrow to others. Some were happy, while others were jealous.
"Rumble!"
On the horizon, four groups of people rushed forward rapidly, converging on the western gate of the Eastern Domain Saint Prince Mansion.
From one group, a loud voice rang out: "The Xu Holy Clan has come to the Eastern Domain Saint Prince Mansion to propose marriage!"
Immediately after, another voice sounded: "The Xi Holy Clan has come to the Eastern Domain Saint Prince Mansion to propose marriage!"
"The Zuo Holy Clan has come to the Eastern Domain Saint Prince Mansion to propose marriage!"
"The Shen Holy Clan has come to the Eastern Domain Saint Prince Mansion to propose marriage!"
Moments later, the processions of the four Sacred Saint Clans converged from four directions outside the western gate, lining up in a row.
Each procession consisted of several thousand people, with five hundred carts of betrothal gifts pulled by five hundred savage beasts, creating an imposing spectacle.
Compared to the ten carts of betrothal gifts Zhang Ruochen had brought, the five hundred carts from each of the four Sacred Saint Clans seemed utterly shabby in contrast.
The four Sacred Saint Clans had long-standing grudges with Zhang Ruochen. Today, on the same day, they arrived at the Chen Clan with fifty times more betrothal gifts than Zhang Ruochen to propose marriage.
Anyone with discerning eyes could tell they were here to cause trouble.
The Chen Clan members of Chen Ji's vein, as well as Zhang Ruochen's senior brothers, all showed displeased expressions.
On the other hand, some Chen Clan members from other veins wore looks of schadenfreude.
"The four Sacred Saint Clans came to the Chen Clan to propose marriage on the same day. I wonder which proud daughter of heaven from the Chen Clan they've set their sights on?"
"Zhang Ruochen, as a Sword Saint's disciple, only brought ten carts of betrothal gifts. But each of the four Sacred Saint Clans brought five hundred carts. Clearly, they're deliberately trying to embarrass Zhang Ruochen."
"These people from the four Sacred Saint Clans are too rude, daring to cause trouble at the Eastern Domain Saint Prince Mansion. They're utterly lawless. Who is the true master of the Eastern Domain?"
...
Since the four Sacred Saint Clans came to propose marriage, the Chen Clan couldn't offend them too much. At the very least, they had to display the dignity befitting an ancient aristocratic clan.
Chen Ji, representing the Chen Clan, stepped forward. His gaze fixed on the Xu Holy Clan's procession, landing on Three-Blade Half-Saint sitting in a luxurious ancient carriage. "Three-Blade Half-Saint, I didn't expect you to come personally. The Xu Holy Clan has prepared such a grand ceremony. To whom are you proposing marriage?"
Three-Blade Half-Saint stepped out of the ancient carriage, cupped his hands, and bowed to Chen Ji, smiling, "Brother Chen Ji, you may not know this, but a junior of our Xu Holy Clan has taken a liking to a talented young lady of your esteemed mansion. He is deeply infatuated. Today, I have brought him along to your mansion to propose marriage."
Chen Ji's expression darkened slightly.
He was well aware of the grudges between the four Sacred Saint Clans and Zhang Ruochen, so he didn't believe they were genuinely here to propose marriage.
With a perfectly good marriage about to take place, why were the four Sacred Saint Clans here to cause trouble?
"Is the Xu Holy Clan so blatant? Are they trying to openly steal the bride?"
"Wasn't Zhang Ruochen and Huang Yanchen already engaged? The four Sacred Saint Clans proposing marriage is completely improper."
"Even if they can't steal the bride, they want to disgust Zhang Ruochen. Didn't you see they brought five hundred carts of betrothal gifts?"
...
Hearing Three-Blade Half-Saint's words, the surrounding Chen Clan members began to murmur among themselves.
Zhang Ruochen stood at the back, gently stroking his chin, a faint, ambiguous smile on his face.
The Xu Holy Clan was one of the most tenacious families Zhang Ruochen had ever encountered. They had sent two heirs to the Ruins Realm battlefield to kill him, only to have both die by his hand.
And they still weren't giving up?
It seemed they were growing furious from humiliation.
He wondered what new trick they would pull this time.
Three-Blade Half-Saint cast a contemptuous glance at the ten carts of betrothal gifts Zhang Ruochen had brought, sneering, "Brother Chen Ji, I have brought five hundred carts of betrothal gifts this time, all priceless treasures. If this marriage can be arranged, another five hundred carts of spirit stones will be sent over afterward."
Chen Ji quickly said, "It's not a matter of betrothal gifts. The key is..."
Before Chen Ji could finish, Three-Blade Half-Saint interrupted, "I understand, Brother Chen Ji. Rest assured, the one I have brought to propose marriage this time is one of the top outstanding talents of our Xu Holy Clan's younger generation..."
Second Senior Brother Zhu Hongtao had been holding back for a long time. Now, he finally couldn't take it anymore. He cracked his knuckles, stretched out a thick arm, and pushed Chen Ji aside, saying, "Old Chen Ji, step aside. Let me reason with him."
Chen Ji knew Zhu Hongtao's rough temperament, so he wasn't offended and stepped back.
Chen Ji didn't want to offend the four Sacred Saint Clans either, so having Zhu Hongtao handle it was for the best.
Zhu Hongtao, standing four meters and three inches tall, wearing bright red shorts, stood before Three-Blade Half-Saint, looking down and roaring, "What's this? Xu San Dao, are you trying to steal the bride?"
Three-Blade Half-Saint looked up at Zhu Hongtao, a hint of caution in his eyes.
"Why did Xuanji Half-Saint send Zhu Hongtao personally to the Chen Clan?"
Zhu Hongtao was a Saint-level existence. Why would he bother with something as trivial as a marriage?
Originally, the four Sacred Saint Clans had unanimously believed that at most one Half-Saint-level senior brother or sister would accompany Zhang Ruochen to the Chen Clan to deliver the betrothal gifts.
They never expected Zhu Hongtao to appear by Zhang Ruochen's side.