Chapter 1143: The Book of All Laws |
Tang San and Mei Gongzi's first stop was the table of the dragon race.
Xu An'yu was not seated at the main table; that was reserved for the Emperors and the newlyweds. However, his table was right next to it.
"Brother Xu, I truly have to thank you for today," Tang San said.
Xu An'yu, along with the dragon kings and elders, all stood to greet them.
He laughed heartily. "Thank me? Then how many times do I have to thank you in return? Congratulations to you both! Come, let's drink!"
This time, he had brought no small number of dragon powerhouses; Crystal City was all but emptied out. That was how they'd created the spectacular Thousand Dragons' Roar earlier. It was not just for the sake of putting on a good show for Tang San. Xu An'yu also wanted to use this occasion to declare to all clans that even without an Emperor, the dragon race remained as mighty as ever.
Tang San drained his cup with him, while Mei Gongzi only took a polite sip.
Xu An'yu lowered his voice. "You're going into seclusion right after the wedding, right?"
Tang San smiled faintly. "Why? Worried there aren't enough vacant seats?"
Tang San chuckled. "Greedy, aren't you?"
Xu An'yu gave a wry smile. "Greedy? No, it's just pressure. Right now, our race has no Emperor, while the phoenix race has two and two main cities. That's never happened in history. Once I return, I'll also be going into seclusion immediately, so after you two ascend, I'll face my own tribulation. Without an Emperor holding the fort, we can't rest easy…"
Tang San understood well what he feared: If the dragon race's weakness tempted several major clans to join forces against them, even being exterminated was not out of the question. With the number of Demon Kings and Great Demon Kings they had, it was extremely unlikely, but the dragons couldn't take that risk.
"Don't worry. No matter what, we'll always support you," Tang San said, clasping his hand.
Xu An'yu's eyes gleamed. "And we'll always be your staunchest supporters. When you face your tribulations, I'll be there to witness them. If you need our help, the dragon race won't take a single step back."
Tang San grinned half-jokingly. "I'll remember you said that."
"Of course."
After another toast, Tang San paid respects to the other dragon kings and elders before leading Mei Gongzi to the next table.
Mei Gongzi asked him via sound transmission, "Do you think he'll really stand with us when it matters?"
Tang San smiled. "He's a smart man. And when the big day comes, I have my own way of keeping the dragons in line. Don't worry. Ah, speaking of which… Our first big day has already begun."
Her eyes lit with understanding. She knew exactly what he meant. "Then drink a bit more. Keep everyone's focus here as long as possible."
Tang San smiled. "Drinking alone isn't enough. If I want to hold the entire continent's attention, I'll have to give them a little… excitement."
"Oh? What kind of excitement?"
"You'll see."
After completing his round of toasts, Tang San returned with Mei Gongzi to the main table.
He pulled out her chair first, then stepped over to the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor and the Sunborne Nymph Emperor.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor smiled. "Looks like everyone's in good spirits. Why not have a few more drinks before coming back? We old folks were just about to slip away."
Tang San said, "No need to rush, Your Majesty. Today is our wedding day, and it fills my heart with joy to have so many friends gathered and the great honor of Your Majesties themselves being our witnesses. I must show my appreciation, so please wait a moment."
"Oh? Planning to give a big gift? Wasn't what you did earlier enough?" the Sunborne Nymph Emperor asked, curiosity piqued.
Tang San's smile held a hint of mystery. "That was only the beginning. Just wait."
He returned to Mei Gongzi's side, sat down, and said, "Allow me to show you something."
He extended his right hand, and a flash of light revealed a thick, dark-golden tome—the Book of All Laws.
Mei Gongzi's eyes widened. This was one of Tang San's most important treasures, the very source of the Codex of Divine Grace.
He gave her a reassuring look. But the moment he had produced it, all Emperors' gazes had converged on him. The aura radiating from the book was too strange to ignore.
Weaker cultivators couldn't sense it at all, but at the Emperor level, they could clearly feel the peculiar energy signature it had. It felt half-real and half-illusory, as if there were an endless ocean contained within.
Smiling under their scrutiny, Tang San said, "Today is both our wedding day and the day the Blue Gold Sacred Mountain is officially complete. On such an important day, I've decided to give out some prizes to our honored guests, as a token of our gratitude.
"I proposed to Little Mei with the Lifebond Necklace, representing our eternal bond. She, in turn, gave me this tome as her dowry. We then refined it together, and during that process, it gained some rather miraculous abilities. I'd like to demonstrate some of these abilities for your entertainment. The prizes will also come from this book."
The book was the reward Tang San had chosen after the Ancestral Court Elite Competition, but the Celestial Plume belonging to Mei Gongzi was now a quintessential part of it, so calling it her gift to him was not entirely inaccurate.
Tang San turned toward the dragon race table. "Brother Xu, would you help me for a moment?"
Xu An'yu rose with a grin. "No problem, but I expect my share of the prizes."
Tang San laughed. "That'll depend on your luck later. The Ancestral Court prides itself on fairness, so even when I give away prizes, I'll have to follow the rules. Come, let's go up."
With that, he soared into the air, with Xu An'yu right behind him. The sight reminded the guests of the most exciting match of the recent Battle for the Throne—the aerial clash between these very two.
They rose to about five hundred meters, high enough for everyone to see them. Holding the Book of All Laws in his left hand, Tang San beckoned with his right. "Brother Xu, please attack me with one of your bloodline abilities."
"On your wedding day? You want to fight me? Can't I just surrender?" Xu An'yu said with a wry smile.
"Don't misunderstand, it's not a rematch. Just a little test for everyone to see," Tang San replied.
Intrigued, Xu An'yu nodded. "Very well, but be careful."
He did not summon his Light Sprite. He simply fixed his gaze on Tang San and swept the air with his right hand. With a clear dragon roar, a golden dragon-shaped light burst from his palm, circling around him once before diving at Tang San.
Light Dragon Assault! It was the most basic bloodline power strike of the Radiant Dragon lineage, but that did not mean it was weak in any way. Its power was proportional to the user's own power, so in the hands of someone like Xu An'yu, it was a terrifying ability.
Tang San smiled faintly, extended his left hand, and flipped the book open to a blank page in the center. Then, with his right hand, he pulled at the air, as if he was trying to drag the atmosphere itself into the book.
Golden light flared from the Book of All Laws. Xu An'yu felt a sudden, powerful suction force from the book, and in the blink of an eye, the golden dragon was drawn inside and vanished without a trace.
Tang San didn't even blink.