Chapter 1140: The Ceremony Begins |
The White Tiger Demon Emperor stepped ahead of them, the majesty in his features softened with a trace of sentiment. His gaze first fell upon Mei Gongzi, and the sharp lines of his face grew gentler still.
"My precious granddaughter, today is your wedding day. I have no lengthy instructions for you, only the wish that you and your husband live in harmony, bound together as one. And if he ever dares to wrong you, come tell your grandfather. Even if, in the future, I'm no longer strong enough to beat him up, I'll still risk this old life of mine to stand up for you."
Mei Gongzi's eyes turned slightly red. "Grandfather…"
But the White Tiger Demon Emperor had already turned his gaze toward Tang San, and the majesty returned in full force.
"Boy, Little Mei's future is now entrusted to you. Today, I hand her to you. Not because you are powerful or destined for a great future, but because she loves you. The promises you once spoke, I remember them all. And I expect you to keep them. Treat her well. A man's most important mission is to protect his wife. Cherish her, love her, and make her happy. I wish you both a thousand clear autumns and ten thousand fresh springs."
"Thank you, Grandfather." Tang San could not help but feel a surge of emotion. He bowed deeply to the White Tiger Demon Emperor.
Only then did the White Tiger Demon Emperor allow a gratified smile to show on his face. Taking Mei Gongzi's hand, he placed it into Tang San's, giving their joined hands a light pat. The tiger's eyes grew slightly moist.
"A match made in heaven, you are. Now walk the road that belongs to the two of you."
He stepped aside.
She leaned closer to him, linking her arm with his.
Together, they stepped forward, beginning their slow descent from the front of the Blue Gold Palace down the cloud stairs.
At once, cheers erupted across the entire Ancestral Court. Tens of thousands of eyes were upon them, and countless blessings and shouts of joy rose to the sky.
And then, a resounding dragon's roar split the air.
"Aoooooo!"
The stirring dragon cry carried joy and blessings. In the next moment, countless roars echoed in response, and many dragon-shaped lights soared into the sky. Those roars, each one a call of celebration, were the voices of over a thousand mighty dragons!
Tang San chuckled to himself. Xu An'yu had arrived, bringing the dragons of Crystal City to offer their blessing. At the same time, they were declaring to the Ancestral Court that although the dragon race had no Emperor, they remained strong.
Then came a clear and melodious phoenix cry. One after another, phoenix-shaped lights rose, each accompanied by a crisp and clear call. The phoenix cries matched the dragon roars perfectly, whether in tone or intensity, forming together a glorious symphony. The Dragon-Phoenix Harmony!
Unlike the dragon race, the phoenix race now stood at the absolute peak of their power, with two Emperors and two main cities. Yet today, at Tang San and Mei Gongzi's wedding, they had no intention of outshining the dragons. Every note was pure blessing.
The leading phoenix cry came from a dazzlingly transparent Crystal Phoenix. Its voice was high, clear, and deeply sincere.
Beneath the chorus of a thousand dragons and a thousand phoenixes, Tang San and Mei Gongzi descended the steps.
The sight was so magnificent that the people of the Ancestral Court were struck speechless.
Then the cheers rose again, from all races, blending into waves of sound that expressed their surging emotions. Though these cheers could not match the volume of the dragon roars and phoenix cries, the very temperature of the atmosphere seemed to rise.
Boom—Boom—Boom—Boom—Boom—Boom—Boom—
From around the Ancestral Court, rings of fireworks shot into the sky. Even under the bright daylight, their colors shone brilliantly. Sunlight itself seemed to dim slightly, letting the fireworks' brilliance stand out even more.
At the foot of the cloud steps, only the highest existences of the Daemon Continent could stand. The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor and the Sunborne Nymph Emperor were present, leading the rulers of the Empyrean Dominion and Solstice Empire, watching the perfect couple descend.
Xu An'yu, the only one present who was not an Emperor, also had eyes full of emotion.
There were 1,001 cloud steps—symbolizing one lifetime lived as one.[1]
Indeed, for Tang San and Mei Gongzi, one lifetime was enough. There would be no second, for this one would never end.
When they reached the final step, Tang San led Mei Gongzi to stand before the gathered Emperors.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor and the Sunborne Nymph Emperor stepped forward together.
The Sunborne Nymph Emperor smiled at Tang San.
"Seeing such a grand wedding, even I find myself stirred with emotion. It has been so many years since the Ancestral Court has seen such festivity, such joy. Congratulations to you both."
Tang San and Mei Gongzi bowed in unison to him.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor smiled. "Alright, everyone, the happy couple is here. Let us begin the ceremony."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Tang San and Mei Gongzi bowed again, then stepped aside.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor faced the Ancestral Court, and his voice rang out, "Today is a most important day, not only for the Ancestral Court but for the entire Daemon Continent. Not long ago, the top two contenders of the Battle for the Throne stood opposed on the battle stage. Today, they unite in marriage. On behalf of the Ancestral Court's Council and all the Emperors, I offer my heartfelt congratulations."
The dragon roars, phoenix cries, and countless cheers again thundered toward the heavens, making the very Ancestral Court tremble.
When the cheers finally subsided, after a full minute, the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor smiled and spoke up again.
"The Battle for the Throne has ended. As promised, the Ancestral Court will now pour its resources into aiding the three Crown Princes to advance to Emperorhood. This is also the gift we offer to the two newlyweds today. Both have endured countless trials to come together. They are still young, and they will surely become the future of the Ancestral Court. They are true examples to follow, the pride of all races."
Another round of cheers erupted. Indeed, both Jin Miaolin and Mei Gongzi were already legends across the continent, the admiration of countless demons and nymphs.
The Peacock Demon clan had no Emperor, yet Mei Gongzi, through her own efforts, had won both the Ancestral Court Elite Competition and the Battle for the Throne, leading her clan to rise again into a force no one could ignore.
Jin Miaolin's story was even more incredible. This young man had revived the Blue Gold Tree clan from the brink of extinction, awakened the Tree Ancestor, and displayed extraordinary strength. Against all odds, he had fought his way to the end of the Battle for the Throne, rising from a derided Amethystine Coin Warrior to a Crown Prince sought after by all. He had built the Blue Gold Sacred Mountain's Tower of Life, blessing all living beings.
Both were legends, representative members of the demon and nymph races. Their marriage today was nothing less than a union of great powers.
As the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor had said, they were still young. Surely, the future Ancestral Court would be their world.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor waited for the cheers to soften before continuing, "Jin Miaolin hails from the Blue Gold Tree Clan, which the Ancestral Court has recognized as a neutral force. Yet he is, by birth, a nymph of the Solstice Empire, and Lord of Skytree City. Mei Gongzi comes from Kali City; she is not only the leader of the Peacock Demon clan, but also carries the bloodline of the White Tiger Demon Emperor. She represents the younger generation of demons. Today, their marriage also signifies greater harmony between the Empyrean Dominion and the Solstice Empire. United, they shall hold the world in the palms of their hands."
1. The original here is an untranslatable wordplay. There are 1,314 steps because the number 1,314 (yi san yi si) is considered auspicious. It sounds like 一生一世 (yi sheng yi shi), which means "for a lifetime." We approximated it into something that makes some modicum of sense in English. ☜