Chapter 700 - I Object!

The crash of cymbals and gongs welcomed a middle-aged man in golden robes as he entered the grand hall with his entourage of servants. His face was ruddy, and he moved like an elegant noble.

He was the master of this estate, Huang Si. As a sign of respect, all the guests stood as he entered—all except for Han Wu. He was munching on the roasted chicken leg with glee. Huang Si smiled indulgently at him, as if generously willing to tolerate his behavior.

Sitting at his seat, Huang Si raised his cup high to toast the guests. “Everyone, I am officially marrying my eighteenth wife on this auspicious day. I hope everyone enjoys the ceremony.”

“No, no, it is my honor to attend your wedding,” Hu Shiliu said earnestly, eyes bewitching enough to hook the soul of anyone she looked at.

Liu Baiyan raised his cup with two hands. “A toast to celebrate Master Huang’s happy day!”

Gu Yuanwai, seated beside Han Wu, raised his two short hands and chimed in, “It would be our loss to not attend your grand wedding.”

The guests took turns congratulating and flattering Huang Si.

Soon, it came time for the gifts. Each guest had meticulously prepared treasures for this wedding.

The first to present his gift was Liu Baiyan, displaying a wooden box that held a fist-sized pearl.

“This is the Ape Core that I obtained from killing a mutated White Ape in the past. Today is your auspicious day, so I shall give it to Master Huang.”

The guests clamored with surprise. Liu Baiyan’s name originated from his single-handed hunting of a White Ape in the past. That hunt was of such pride to him that he had changed his name to brag[1].

For him to give away that precious Ape Core was near unbelievable. This was a truly valuable gift indeed.

“Brother Liu, thank you for giving me this gift,” Master Huang said, touched. “Please call me if you ever need any help, no matter what it is.”

Liu Baiyan was also moved. He had given the precious Ape Core because he wanted to befriend Master Huang, and he had succeeded.

Hu Shiliu stood and opened the sack she had brought with her. “I’m afraid my gift will lose its shine when compared to Sir Liu’s wonderful gift.”

With that, she pulled a golden fox-fur robe out of the sack. It shimmered strangely. It was clear that this was a Divine Weapon of high quality, likely Divine grade.

“The hide of a thousand sheep is inferior to a pinch of fur from a fox’s armpit. This robe is made from the fur of a thousand foxes’ armpits. It's the only thing that could show my admiration for you,” she flattered.

The robe wasn’t as powerful as the Ape Core, but its rarity far exceeded it.

“Thank you, Lady Shiliu. I will wear it after this.” Huang Si smiled.

Then it was Gu Yuanwai’s turn.

“This is my gift,” he said, taking out an urn the size of his palm. “This urn contains 500 kilograms of wine made from five grains of the highest quality. I hope Master Huang will appreciate it.”

While the wine brewed from using five grains wasn't rare, there were still 500 kilograms of it. The merit of this gift came from the sheer quantity. Moreover, the wine only constituted one-half of the gift. The second half was the urn that contained it. The fact that a palm-sized urn could store 500 kilograms worth of wine implied that it was also a Divine Weapon, and most likely at the Faith grade.

The other guests also presented their gifts one at a time. While their gifts weren’t as precious as the first three, Master Huang accepted them without discrimination.

Finally, it was Han Wu’s turn. Everyone stared at him, a silent indication for him to present his gift.

Han Wu rose, scraping his teeth with a chicken bone. “I came here today to join in on the fun since I was passing by, and didn’t prepare a gift. I do have some provisions with me. Just some common gold and silver, if you don’t mind. I have some Divine Weapons, but I don’t want to give them away. How about this? I have a horse tied outside the village. You can have it.”

In Han Wu’s eyes, he was being generous. He had only eaten a chicken and drunk some wine, but had given his horse in return. Master Huang had made a fortune from him.

“You’re giving me a horse?” Master Huang frowned. Though it didn’t seem particularly auspicious, he let it go. The fact that Han Wu joined in on the ceremony could be considered a gift in itself.

With the gifting session done, the guests became eager for the ceremony to begin. They were all curious about the bride. Master Huang waved his arm, and the servants started serving the main dish.

Numerous roasted humans oozing with fat were carried in.

Everyone except Han Wu revealed their true forms.

Hu Shiliu’s alluring body remained the same, but her head had morphed into that of a fox. Liu Baiyan’s snake tongue flicked in and out. Gu Yuanwai revealed his two sharp front teeth and gray rat form. Even Master Huang revealed himself as a weasel.

This wasn’t a wedding of humans. They were monsters!

Everyone turned to stare at Han Wu after revealing themselves, hoping to witness his terrified reaction. Disappointingly, Han Wu’s expression remained unchanged.

“Outsider, are you not afraid?” Gu Yuanwai asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.

“Why should I be afraid? I’m an outsider, and I’ve seen many things. This is just a minor thing to me.”

Gu Yuanwai grinned menacingly. “I hope you can still say that when the banquet is over.”

The gong sounded again once the main dishes were served, and the servants shouted in unison, “Presenting the bride!”

Two strong servants carried a wooden cross into the hall, with the bride in red robes chained to it. Han Wu scoffed. This was the most bizarre wedding he had ever seen.

Even a wedding meant for the dead was dull compared to this. Though chained, the bride stubbornly continued to struggle, which caused her veil to fall, revealing her exquisite face.

The guests were all stunned. The meat in their hands paled in comparison to her beauty.

Han Wu jumped up and shouted angrily, “I object to this wedding!”

The one tied to the cross was none other than his beloved, Qin Shuang!

1. Baiyan refers to White Ape ☜