Most of the gifts were luxurious trinkets and goods such as jade and jewelry. Some were rare specimens like exotic birds or squirrels, while others were precious cultivation resources or artifacts. All in all, every gift was valuable and full of meaning.
Until the last guest had given their gift.
The large double doors at the entrance of the hall opened, and a large group of young people dressed in white entered. The leading group scattered golden paper and white flowers along the way, while music from their entourage drew the attention of all the guests.
Among the procession were more than ten muscular standard bearers. Each banner they carried was assembled to read, "Yin and Yang United, Engagement Ceremony Ending the Disputes."
The musicians rode on a large floating platform as they played auspicious music. At the end of the entourage was a grand palanquin guarded by several experts and pulled by three white cloud horses.
A young, handsome man sat on the palanquin throne, with an old man standing beside him, looking like an elder from a powerful sect.
The entourage stopped, and the young man slowly descended from the palanquin, followed by the elder who accompanied him as a protector.
The elder cupped his fists toward Mo Xingyao, completely ignoring Wei Chen, who stood beside her.
"Greetings, Lady Mo. I am Elder Ming Wu of Heaven's Spire Sanctuary," the elder said respectfully before producing a long scroll and reading aloud.
"Today is an auspicious day for our two factions to unite in matrimony and end the disputes between the righteous and demonic paths once and for all, on the joyous occasion of your eighteenth birthday."
"We have arrived here in accordance with the promise made twelve years ago between your father, the Sky-Severing Demon Sovereign of the Sky-Severing Demon Valley, and our Patriarch of Heaven's Spire Sanctuary, Shen Tiandao. It was agreed that his sole daughter would be betrothed to our yong master and the sole heir of the Heaven's Spire Sanctuary Shen Tianxuan upon reaching eighteen years of age."
When mentioning the name Shen Tianxuan, the young man raised his head with a smile, looking at Mo Xingyao with admiration. However, Wei Chen, being someone who had met many people and came from the modern world, could discern that beneath those seemingly appreciative eyes was a deep, hidden ambition.
After finishing the announcement, Elder Ming Wu placed the scroll back into his storage ring and continued,
"Thus, we have come from our sect today to propose the engagement and fulfill our promise."
The guests immediately began whispering and murmuring among themselves after hearing this, their voices filling the hall with clamor and astonishment.
At this time, some of the guests from the righteous path walked up to Mo Xingyao.
"Congratulations, Lady Mo!"
"Congratulations, Lady Mo! May you be prosperous and auspicious!"
"Congratulations, Lady Mo! Young Master Shen Tianxuan is both learned, wise, and strong. There is no one better for you under heaven. He is the dream man of many virtuous ladies! You and he will be like a match made in heaven!"
The guests from the righteous path began offering their blessings for the engagement, though some were clearly paying lip service to the Heaven's Spire Sanctuary. All of them urged her to accept the proposal.
Mo Xingyao looked at the entourage in astonishment before a business-like smile crept onto her face.
"I never thought you would still remember it after all this time, but unfortunately…" Mo Xingyao turned toward Wei Chen, who suddenly had a very bad feeling about this.
"I have already given my heart to someone else," she said with a smile as beautiful as the first bloom of spring.
Oh sh*t… She really screwed me over.
Wei Chen thought to himself, realizing he had been dragged into a legendary fake boyfriend scenario.
"Is that true?" the elder asked, looking doubtfully at Wei Chen.
Mo Xingyao naturally stepped to Wei Chen's side and hugged his right arm, pressing herself close until he could feel the two amazing soft mound pushing on him. At the same time, he felt her finger tracing words on his back.
'Say yes.'
Feeling the word, Wei Chen wanted to cry but had no tears. As expected, she really did screw him over.
"Yes, it's true," Wei Chen said with a smile, looking at Mo Xingyao with deep meaning. His right hand reached toward her soft willow-like waist and pulled her closer, gently stroking her slender figure.
Mo Xingyao's smile did not fade, but in her mind, she wanted nothing more than to smack this guy across the face. This bastard had actually taken advantage of her at the one moment she couldn't avoid it!
At this moment, Wei Chen's mouth twitched as a sharp pain shot through his waist. Mo Xingyao's left hand was twisting his soft waist in revenge.
Wei Chen's smile faltered slightly as he looked at the little demon beside him, but his right hand did not stop stroking her waist.
Shen Tianxuan, seeing the two gazing at each other like lovers, began to feel uncomfortable. He stepped forward and looked at Wei Chen as if he were an insect, saying,
"You, mortal. I'll give you five spirit stones, but you must stay as far away from Lady Mo as possible. If you do that, I promise not to harm you or your loved ones."
Wei Chen tilted his head in confusion, glancing behind him as if looking for someone.
"I'm speaking to you, mortal. Don't pretend to be a fool," Shen Tianxuan snapped.
"Honestly, why do you think I'm a mortal?" Wei Chen asked, pointing at himself.
"Isn't it obvious? Your dantian doesn't even have a shred of spiritual qi. If you're not mortal, then what are you?" Shen Tianxuan asked in disdain.
"Why don't you think I might be cultivating a method that conceals my cultivation?" Wei Chen countered.
"Ha! That's amusing, but I know you're not cultivating that kind of technique. Under my Heaven's Gaze, no secret can be hidden from me! These eyes are inherited within my family; they can see and comprehend all kinds of cultivation methods, combat techniques, and hidden truths!"
Shen Tianxuan laughed as his eyes transformed into a celestial mandala of star charts, his gaze piercing deep as if looking straight into one's soul where no secret could hide.
"Even if, by some miracle, you are hiding your cultivation, I would still advise you not to aim beyond your means. Flying too close to the sun will only shorten your life," Shen Tianxuan said arrogantly.
Wei Chen looked at Shen Tianxuan as if he were staring at an idiot.
"Err… where did this guy come from?" he asked the surrounding guests, pointing at Shen Tianxuan. "Did he come from outside the Azure River Province? Hasn't he seen the broadcast?"
A chuckle echoed through the hall. It was Ximen Hao laughing.
"Mr. Wei might have spent too long in closed-door cultivation and missed quite a lot over the past fifty years. The Heaven's Spire Sanctuary is a new sect said to have been hiding within a secret realm. They only emerged about fifty years ago, so it's understandable that they don't know who you are or what your strength is," Ximen Hao explained.
"I see. Since the large broadcast screens don't appear in secret realms, that explains why they are ignorant about me," Wei Chen finally realized.
At that moment, Shen Tianxuan's expression turned suspicious. "What do you mean, Young Master Ximen?" he asked.
"I mean… even your renowned Heaven's Gaze can't discern the truth about him, not even something as basic as his cultivation realm. His cultivation method must be too profound for you to perceive," Ximen Hao said, trying to sound as polite as possible.
"What are you saying? That's impossible," Shen Tianxuan said in doubt, glancing at the guests who seemed to know more about this matter.
"Do all of you know about this cultivation?" he asked.
"Young Master, we don't know his exact cultivation, but we saw him defeat a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator from Sacred Flame Valley with a single slap," one of the guests replied respectfully.
Shen Tianxuan activated his Heaven's Gaze on that guest, confirming that the man was telling the truth.
"That's impossible! Elder Ming!" Shen Tianxuan turned toward his protector.
"Yes, Young Master," the elder cupped his fists.
"Go test him!" Shen Tianxuan commanded.
"At once!"
The moment Elder Ming replied, he vanished and immediately launched an attack at Wei Chen.
"Shit!" Wei Chen was alarmed. The elder was in the late stage of the Soul Transformation Realm, his combat power is greater than Wei Chen's.
Wei Chen immediately went all out, vanishing from sight as he used Shadowless Reaper Step. In an instant, over a hundred phantoms of him scattered in every direction.
Without the Heaven's Gaze, Elder Ming was momentarily confused.
"He's hiding behind the jade pillar on your right!" Shen Tianxuan warned, his Heaven's Gaze tracking every movement of Wei Chen.
Hearing this, Elder Ming immediately struck at the jade pillar.
"F*ck it! Can't be helped!" Wei Chen cursed before unleashing his full power. The avatar of death manifested behind him as he brandished his claws.
"What!? What is that!?" Shen Tianxuan was alarmed. The moment his Heaven's Gaze locked onto the avatar of death, he saw an overwhelming force and the authority of the underworld compressed within that terrifying manifestation.