After Provoking the Mad Beautiful Deity - Chapter 48

The wedding day arrived amidst the great anticipation of the immortals. Siming, acting as the ceremonial official, headed to Phoenix Mountain accompanied by Sanmeng and the Elder of Yuanji.

This was a joyous event rare in ten thousand years. Every clan came to observe the ceremony. The wedding was grand, with auspicious clouds as a welcome and the glow of dawn as a congratulation.

As the immortal envoy arrived, Sanmeng personally entered the hall to welcome the bride. Yanlai sat before her dressing table, her immortal robes exquisite. The seven-colored sunrise garment made her look beautiful and dignified. Sanmeng approached and looked at her; on the dressing table, aside from the jewelry cases and ornaments, there sat a medical book.

Curious, she asked, “Since when does the High Goddess read medical books?”

“I was simply reading it to pass the time.” Yanlai flicked her sleeve, and the medical book vanished. She stood up, her immortal skirt swaying lightly. Sanmeng took a step back, taking in her flawless, jade-like face, and asked, “Are you prepared?”

“Yes.” Yanlai nodded. The phoenix crown on her head moved slightly, the movement so small it was almost imperceptible.

No matter the time, she maintained a perfect demeanor.

Yanlai took a few steps forward while Sanmeng remained rooted to the spot. Yanlai smiled, “High Immortal, it is time to go.”

“Yanlai, it is still not too late to regret this.” Sanmeng could not bear it. “Once you step out of this door, it will be too late even if you do regret it.”

“I never regret the paths I choose.” Yanlai took a step forward on her own. She had no parents or kin, and no one to see her off; she alone boarded the floral carriage.

Crossing the threshold, the Ningzhu Immortal Grass stood at the door, gazing at her with tearful eyes. Yanlai had forgotten; there was still one person.

The Immortal Grass wiped away her tears, but Kylin grabbed her, fearing she would be discovered by the Immortal Clan, and hurriedly dragged her away.

Yanlai watched the direction in which the two disappeared, her gaze cold. Quickly, she composed her emotions and stepped onto the floral carriage.

The morning glow illuminated the carriage, with light and shadow swirling around. Seven-colored brilliance circled the roof. At the front of the carriage, the Elder of Yuanji squinted his eyes with a smile and said, “Depart.”

Phoenix Mountain was instantly enveloped in ten thousand rays of dawn. The immortal attendants stopped and lifted their heads to watch their High Goddess slowly depart. On the ground, Kylin sighed. The Ningzhu Immortal Grass squatted beside him, “Kylin, I feel so lonely.”

“Why feel lonely? I am here with you, don’t be afraid.” Kylin held the Immortal Grass, and the two embraced.

In the distance, Hong Chen frowned at the sight of the two being so informal. Ever since her young disciples began dual cultivation, she felt that anyone acting intimately had problems.

Why was Kylin hugging the Immortal Grass for no reason?

And why did the Immortal Grass not resist being hugged?

Hong Chen stepped forward and separated the two, lifting Kylin with one hand and the Immortal Grass with the other. “What kind of decorum is this, hugging and clinging?”

“Master.” “Demon Venerable.”

The two jumped up simultaneously. The Immortal Grass reached out to hug her Master, sobbing uncontrollably, “The High Goddess has married, Master.”

“Return to the Demon Realm first and let Yanguang test your cultivation to see if you have made any progress here.” Hong Chen patted her young disciple’s back, offering a bit of comfort, while her peripheral vision swept over Kylin. “Find Yuqi. This Seat is taking you all to watch the excitement.”

“Taking me is enough for watching the excitement; there is no need to bring Yuqi.” Kylin was indignant. The Demon Venerable was too biased, looking for Yuqi the moment she arrived.

Hong Chen brushed off her disciple’s hand, walked up to Kylin, and hoisted him by the back of his collar. Kylin finally spoke, “She is in closed-door cultivation. She is quite diligent; I never see her.”

Kylin led the way and found Yuqi practicing in a mountain cave.

Yuqi burst into tears upon seeing the Demon Venerable. Kylin was displeased and stood with hands on hips, “Cry, cry, cry, all you know is crying. The Demon Venerable isn’t dead yet.”

“Are you cursing me?” Hong Chen slapped the back of Kylin’s neck and spoke to Yuqi herself. “This Seat is taking you to a fight. Xuanjing deceived you; do you not want to settle the score?”

“I do, of course I do!” Yuqi responded loudly. “Since meeting the Demon Venerable, there hasn’t been a single day I haven’t wanted revenge.”

Hong Chen nodded, “You have ambition, much stronger than Kylin. Kylin only knows how to eat. Join This Seat’s command, and help change their gluttonous and lazy nature.”

Kylin slumped his head and dared not speak. Who was the one who was gluttonous and lazy first? Like master, like disciple. The Master was lazy and did no real work, so the disciples followed suit.

Kylin was unconvinced but was still lugged along by the Demon Venerable. “I’ll bring you along so that when it’s time to flee for our lives, you can run faster than me.”

“Demon Venerable, do you have to flee for your life too?” Kylin’s feet were off the ground, and his neck hurt from the collar. “Please let me down. Where are you going?”

“To the Nine Heavens, to snatch the bride,” Hong Chen said nonchalantly.

Kylin trembled all over. “That sounds quite exciting. If you bring me, won’t I be a burden?”

Yuqi sneered, “So you actually know you’re a burden.”

Kylin: “…” What an annoying flower spirit.

The floral carriage reached the Southern Heaven Gate. Qin Feng stood at the head of the immortals to welcome her, dressed in wedding robes.

Qin Feng stepped forward, boarded the carriage, and lifted the brocade curtain to look at the person inside. “High Goddess.”

Yanlai gave him a brief glance and stood up on her own. Qin Feng did not reach out to assist her; he knew in his heart that even if he offered his hand, High Goddess Yanlai would not take it to descend the carriage.

One was as gentle as jade, the other as cold as frost.

The two stood on one side of the carriage, devoid of any wedding joy. Siming braced herself and stepped forward, whispering, “Prince, please take the High Goddess’s hand.”

Qin Feng looked at the Goddess, “High Goddess, are you willing?”

Yanlai’s face was hidden within the phoenix crown, so others could not see her expression. After the Prince spoke, he extended his hand.

At this moment, High Immortal Sanmeng brought forward a red silk ribbon and said, “Please, each of you hold one end.”

Yanlai took the red silk, and the Prince had no choice but to take the other end. Siming understood this was a mortal custom and said, “Please, let the Crown Prince lead the High Goddess into the Nine Heavens.”

Qin Feng frowned slightly upon hearing how Siming addressed him and asked, “Why have you not changed your address to ‘Crown Princess’?”

Siming was choked for words. Yanlai wasn’t going to become the Crown Princess anyway, so calling her that now was useless.

Sanmeng, standing to the side, said, “Until the ceremony is performed, she is not the Crown Princess.”

Since Sanmeng had spoken, Qin Feng could only hold his end of the silk and enter the Southern Heaven Gate, with Yanlai following behind.

Siming patted her chest, her heart still thudding; she had nearly lost her life. Seeing the couple pass the Southern Heaven Gate, Siming took off after them.

Past the Southern Heaven Gate, there was still a long way to the Xuantian Hall. A Prince’s wedding was a major event; the ceremony was to be held at the Xuantian Hall, followed by congratulations from the immortals, before returning to the Prince’s palace.

The Prince walked in silence, and Yanlai followed behind. Siming looked left and right, her heart filled with extreme anxiety. Now was the best time to snatch the bride; why hadn’t the Demon Venerable arrived?

If she didn’t come soon, the opportunity would be lost.

Siming was anxious as if on fire. Sanmeng followed Yanlai, keeping a constant eye on the Prince’s movements ahead.

The Prince was handsome, with features resembling the Empress Dowager. He looked elegant in his wedding robes, with sharp brows and eyes like stars. Behind him, Yanlai wore her wedding attire, embroidered with seven-colored clouds, painted with mountains and rivers, and stitched with the sun and moon.

Along the way, the gazes of many young fairies fell upon the Prince. Yanlai’s face was obscured by the phoenix crown. The Prince’s handsome face was exceptionally clear against the backdrop of auspicious clouds, looking spirited and elegant.

The fairies whispered quietly about the Prince’s appearance, their words filled with praise. Yanlai heard them clearly, and the corners of her lips curled slightly.

Outside the Xuantian Hall, clouds gathered and immortal music played in unison. The Emperor and Empress sat in the hall waiting for the newcomers. The ceremonial officials were diligent, and the fairies wore smiles.

Petals flew through the air and fragrance lingered. When the couple walked to the outside of the hall, thousands of birds gathered, their seven-colored feathers quite beautiful.

As the two entered the hall, the Prince slowed down to stand side-by-side with Yanlai. They looked like a perfect match, and the crowd clapped and cheered.

Standing inside the hall, the Heavenly Emperor smiled, and the immortals offered their congratulations; it was a scene of harmony.

Just as the Heavenly Emperor rose to speak, someone suddenly rushed into the hall wearing a blue dress. The guards immediately stopped her. The immortals were surprised as the woman looked at Qin Feng and screamed at the top of her lungs, “Prince, it is me, A’nan!”

The smiles of the immortals came to an abrupt halt. This dramatic scene was entirely unexpected. The music stopped, and the birds scattered with fluttering wings.

Yanlai did not move, looking at the Prince through the tassels of her crown. A look of unbearable agony appeared on the Prince’s handsome face. She said nothing, hearing only the Heavenly Emperor roar, “Where did this ignorant fairy come from?”

A’nan cried out, “High Goddess, he does not love you!”

As soon as she spoke, the Heavenly Emperor struck out at her with a vicious blow. She closed her eyes in terror, but someone stepped in to block the move for her.

A’nan was shaken. The Prince had his back to her, seeming not to care about her life or death at all. For a moment, she found it hard to accept that the man she loved so deeply would disregard her safety.

The Prince remained silent, and Yanlai did not move. Only the Heavenly Emperor loudly berated the guards for being incompetent and letting a troublemaker like A’nan in.

The guards were about to drag A’nan away. In the struggle, A’nan was pushed to the ground. That upright figure suddenly flew toward her, brushing the guards away with a palm strike.

The Heavenly Emperor roared, “Presumptuous! Qin Feng, what are you doing?”

“Father Emperor, I told you, if you didn’t harm her, I would agree to marry the Crown Princess. You should not break your word.” Qin Feng gently held the frail woman, sadness welling in his eyes.

Yanlai still did not move, her back as steady as a mountain range. She was the proudest High Goddess of the Immortal Clan, the only Phoenix. Yet on her wedding day, her husband was holding another woman; it was a tremendous insult.

Yanlai offered no reaction. While the Heavenly Emperor berated his son, Qin Feng continued to hold his weeping lover tightly. The Emperor ordered them to be separated. The heavenly soldiers charged, but they were blasted back by a palm strike from Qin Feng. “I said, do not touch her.”

The heavenly soldiers were repelled, and the Heavenly Emperor was beyond furious. The Empress sat on her phoenix throne without saying a word. The Moon Goddess could not take it anymore and stepped forward to question Qin Feng, “Prince, today is the day you marry High Goddess Yanlai, not this Jiao maiden. By protecting her like this, where do you leave High Goddess Yanlai?”

“She does not love me; she won’t even let me touch her. Why should I endure it?” Qin Feng was provoked. His body trembled slightly, and his eyes were bloodshot. He did not dare let go, fearing that if he did, A’nan would be executed by the heavenly soldiers.

He held his breath and apologized to High Goddess Yanlai, “Goddess, I do not love you and cannot marry you. We were both forced. Why not cancel the wedding today? Consider it my debt to you.”

“Look at this, a pair of star-crossed lovers.” A woman’s mocking voice drifted in from outside the hall.

The immortals looked over to see a woman wearing a demonic mask and a red dress standing at the doorway.

“The Demon Venerable…” “It is the Demon Venerable…” “Why is the Demon Venerable here?”

The Demon Venerable slowly strode across the hall. The heavenly soldiers on both sides took a step back, voluntarily clearing a path. Hong Chen stepped onto the red carpet the newcomers had walked on and walked until she was beside Yanlai.

The Demon Venerable’s smile was like a flower. The immortals dared not speak. Yanlai lifted her head to look at her, and the two shared a glance. In the next breath, Yanlai suddenly turned and attacked A’nan.

The immortals assumed she was simply too angry and wanted to kill A’nan. They didn’t feel it was their business to interfere, so they did not stop her.

Qin Feng pushed A’nan away and raised his hand to counter Yanlai’s immortal arts. The clash was fierce, with flames surging toward the sky. How could Qin Feng be Yanlai’s match? Under a single strike, he could already not endure it, and blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.

The crowd thought Yanlai would stop, but they didn’t expect her to strike again, directly attacking the Prince’s face. The Prince retreated in panic. The Heavenly Emperor roared and flew over to rescue him, only to be met halfway by Hong Chen. Hong Chen used a spell to block the Emperor with a wall of earth.

The Emperor knocked down the wall with one move, but Yanlai had already seized the Prince. The Prince was terrified and said, “Goddess, what are you doing? The marriage is off; are you going to kill me?”

“Today, I want all the immortals to see if this bone-root of yours actually belongs to you.” Yanlai’s tone was vicious.

“Yanlai, do not be presumptuous! Immortals, quickly seize the Demon Venerable!” Seeing this, the Heavenly Emperor was unable to free himself and could only order the immortals to trap the Demon Venerable.

The guests from various clans were stunned. Seeing the couple fighting tooth and nail, they didn’t know whose side to take.

At this moment, Sanmeng suddenly attacked the Prince, and the Moon Goddess followed suit. The three of them restrained the Prince. Yanlai leaped into the air, and a beam of light shone into the Prince’s chest.

With a miserable scream, the immortals turned to see Qin Feng trapped in the air. Light acted as a blade, slowly peeling away the skin, leaving him bloodied.

The Heavenly Emperor was also stunned and let out a roar, “Yanlai, you dare harm the Prince!”

Hong Chen took advantage of the crowd’s shock and flew over. With a sweep of her palm, her domineering spiritual power blasted back the immortals who had approached Yanlai. She laughed and said, “This Seat does not care about your immortal realm’s affairs, but I am curious if your heir actually stole someone else’s spiritual root for his own use. This Seat has no ill intent. Rest assured, once your matters are handled, This Seat will leave. Look, your Prince is in agony.”

The others followed suit and looked at the screaming Prince in the sky. The Heavenly Emperor was enraged and lunged at Yanlai. Hong Chen blocked him. The Heavenly Emperor was a true dragon who traveled the four seas and practiced water-based arts.

Fire and water were incompatible. As the supreme beings of the immortal and demon realms collided, a massive surge of mist enveloped them. The pressure forced everyone to use their spiritual power to steady themselves.

The Empress sat in her high seat, propping up her chin as she stared at the chaotic hall, showing no intention of participating, as if the Prince were not her own son.

Qin Feng’s screams were so terrifying that A’nan fainted. Yuqi protected the Demon Venerable while she fought, preventing anyone from ambushing her.

Many took the opportunity to ambush the Demon Venerable, but they were all fended off by Yuqi.

After several screams, Qin Feng fell heavily to the ground. Yanlai retracted the spiritual root and looked down at him, “I have let you have it for over ten thousand years; consider it a final show of face for you as an elder brother.”

As Yanlai reclaimed the bone-root, Qin Feng collapsed and lost consciousness. Seeing this, Hong Chen withdrew her spiritual power and flew to Yanlai’s side. “High Goddess Yanlai, your fiancé has abandoned you. Let us dual cultivate.”

Yanlai looked at the Heavenly Emperor, “I have taken back my bone-root. Heavenly Emperor, this marriage is now void. Yanlai will not marry a thief. Since he has someone he loves, Phoenix Mountain will not force the matter. I, Yanlai, in my capacity as the master of Phoenix Mountain, announce to the four realms: from this day forward, Phoenix Mountain secedes from the Immortal Clan.”

The Heavenly Emperor’s back stiffened with a chilling coldness. He questioned Yanlai, “You conspired with the Demon Venerable to harm my son, and then pushed the blame onto him. For the Prince and for the Immortal Clan, I will not let you leave the Nine Heavens alive.”

“Heavenly Emperor, you used a Medicine Person as a cauldron to increase your cultivation and fathered a daughter with her named Hong Yan. Later, seeing her bone-root was of the highest quality…”

“You are presumptuous!” The Heavenly Emperor roared and struck out at Yanlai with his palm.

The Moon Goddess grabbed Sanmeng and retreated several dozen yards ahead of time. The aftershock nearly blasted them away; they flipped several times in the air before landing on the ground.

Hong Chen stood in front of Yanlai and took the Heavenly Emperor’s blow head-on. Hong Chen’s face changed drastically. Yuqi charged forward, her flower vines stabbing toward the Emperor like swords.

Flower vine arts were completely useless before the Heavenly Emperor. Before they could even get close, the vines were broken into several pieces.

Yuqi was shocked. In the nick of time, Kylin rushed out, grabbed her, and flew toward the exit. Yuqi refused, but Kylin said, “Move now! The Demon Venerable can leave on her own. If you don’t go, she will have to carry you out.”

Kylin carried Yuqi and flew out of the Nine Heavens. They encountered countless heavenly soldiers along the way. Kylin restored his true form and charged through; the heavenly soldiers could not stop them and watched as they exited the Southern Heaven Gate.

Inside the hall, Yanlai pulled off her phoenix crown with one hand. Her hair fell like a waterfall, her jade face flawless. She threw the crown at the Heavenly Emperor and revealed her phoenix wings. She formed a hand seal, and in an instant, a raging karmic fire ignited within the hall.

The Empress, who had been sitting calmly for a long time, revealed a faint smile.

She was also curious whether Hong Chen could truly withstand the Heavenly Emperor.