I was just making up techniques… how did all of you become Emperors? Chapter 394 The Eerie Engagement Banquet

Chapter 394 The Eerie Engagent Banquet

Shi Xuan rode a majestic dragon-horse at the head of the procession, basking in everyone’s attention.

At the rear of the procession, Chu Feng, Bingyan, and the Shi family Ancestor shared a single carriage.

Chu Feng drew aside the curtain and watched the surging crowd along the route; every one of them was a cultivator, not a single mundane among them.

Unnoticed, the procession left the imperial city and headed toward a high mountain outside the walls.

As they drew closer to the summit, the bystanders’ cultivation levels rose; cultivators below Dao Foundation were scarcely visible.

Inside the carriage, Chu Feng gazed toward the palace atop the peak and asked instinctively, "Daoist Shi, why is Shi Xuan’s engagent being held here?"

The Shi family Ancestor laughed. "This Moonwatch Palace is where our Shi family Ancestor attained enlightennt. After the progenitor passed, we commorated him by holding all major family events here.

"We arranged Shi Xuan’s engagent here both to show the world how highly we regard him and to imply that the progenitor witnesses this union. Alas…"

Chu Feng easily read the implication behind the Ancestor’s words and smiled. "Having the Shi progenitor witness Shi Xuan crushing the other destined prodigies and ascending the highest path would be a fine tale, would it not?"

The Shi family Ancestor laughed and cupped his hands. "Daoist friend speaks reasonably. I, too, look forward to Shi Xuan’s forthcoming performance."

While they spoke, the Shi family procession entered Moonwatch Palace, where decorations and lanterns announced the celebration.

The spacious plaza already held many guests, and the expressions on the cultivators’ faces varied—so expectant, so mocking, so disdainful.

After disembarking, Chu Feng and the Shi family elders did not mingle with the crowd but stood together, leisurely sipping tea. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on noⅴelfire

As minutes ticked by, more cultivators filled the plaza. Shi Xuan, the protagonist, had not yet appeared; he remained in a great hall of Moonwatch Palace, chatting with his family.

In another hall, nine accomplished beauties chatted in small groups, while Zhao Zhiruo sat alone in a corner. She watched them and thought bitterly that these fools neglected the future lady of the Shi house to flirt with pretty boys; they would suffer for it before long.

"Ti has co. Honored guests, please proceed to the ceremony site for the engagent," a loud voice announced, and the female cultivators rose and moved outward.

Each woman was exquisitely dressed and radiated supre confidence as if to declare herself the most beautiful today.

When they exited, they encountered Shi Xuan. Apart from Zhao Zhiruo’s sweet smile, the other eight wore sour expressions, as if to say: we dressed this way not for you, Shi Xuan, but for soone else.

Shi Xuan was no fool; he saw their faces and thought, Let you enjoy yourselves a little longer—soon you and your clans will be settled by the Shi family.

The ten of them, each with a hundred hidden motives, walked toward the plaza like strangers.

Representatives of various factions had already arrived at the plaza. Chu Feng and the Shi family cultivators sat in a corner, sipping tea unhurriedly.

"Here co the newlyweds!" a clear voice rang out, and all eyes turned toward where the sound ca from.

Shi Xuan and Zhao Zhiruo stepped out first. Zhao Zhiruo’s face blood with a happy smile, while Shi Xuan returned to the bearing of the Shi family’s once foremost prodigy, every movent suffused with presumptive pride.

His appearance drew every gaze. A murmur rippled through the crowd: "Wasn’t it said that after idling three years at Wendao Academy, this Shi family prodigy had lost his forr edge? How is he like his old self again today?"

"Likely just for show. It’s his engagent after all; he cannot lose face in public."

The Northern Abyss royal clan mbers watched this familiar-yet-strange Shi Xuan with surprise flickering in their eyes.

Xu Wanshun murmured, "Cousin, Shi Xuan is acting strangely today. He’s completely different from how he was that day in the imperial palace."

Xu Chengjie laughed. "No matter how he changes, today he is destined to lose face. If you don’t believe , just look at those eight fiancées standing behind him."

At his words, everyone glanced at the eight won half a step behind Shi Xuan. Each wore a sour expression, as if marrying Shi Xuan were so undeserved blessing.

The Shi family Ancestor caught sight of their faces, and a trace of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.

"A pack of ingrates," he growled inwardly. "They take the Shi family’s cultivation resources, yet at such a ti they dare put on attitudes. I will not let the powers behind them go unpunished."

Chu Feng teased, "Daoist friend, you forgot to ntion one thing. These won are also using your Shi family’s resources to feed their little lovers."

"…"

The Shi family Ancestor thought bitterly: If you cannot speak kindly, then say less. I’m already exhausted—why must you add another knife?

anwhile, the cultivators in the crowd paid no mind to the won’s disdainful faces. Instead, they judged them aloud.

"Bai Suqing of the Jade Sword Sect and Jin Xi of the Jin family are stunning. Zhao Zhiruo of the Kingdom of Snowstorm is no less. Truly enviable for the Shi prodigy."

"I’d say those three are only average among the nine. Xue Jiang of the Iceheart Palace, Han Lu of the Northern Plains Kingdom, and Yan Ruhua of the Moonseizing Sect are the most beautiful."

"You two only talk about appearances. In my view, Tao Yaoyao of the Jade Cauldron Sect, Tong Ziyi of the Lingjiu Sect, and Murong of the Great Snow Mountain are true treasures. Just looking at them is…"

These comnts were spoken quietly and naturally did not reach the ears of Shi Xuan, today’s main figure.

He swept his calm gaze over the guests, searching for familiar faces.

Soon, in the front rows, he spotted soone he had seen in the imperial palace.

That person seed to sense his stare and imdiately shot back a provocative look.

Shi Xuan gave no response and continued to scan the crowd. If only one child of destiny had co, then the show would not be nearly exciting enough.

At that mont, a booming voice rang out.

"Welco, all, to the Shi family’s Moonwatch Palace for Shi Xuan’s engagent ceremony. This old man, Shi Zhennan, greets you."

As the voice fell, an imposing elder appeared.

The gathered guests all cupped their hands. "King Zhennan is too courteous. To attend the engagent of the Shi family prodigy is our honor."

King Zhennan’s lips curved slightly. "Honored guests, the auspicious hour has co. I now declare the engagent banquet officially begun. May the elders of the newlyweds take their places to witness."

At once, ten figures descended onto the stage. The Shi family servants had already set out chairs and tables.

One man, resembling Shi Xuan by seven parts, wore a pale golden robe and sat in the main seat. The remaining nine filled the other places.

Strangely, on what should have been a day of joy, none of the ten bore smiles.

It seed less like they had co for a wedding, and more as though they had co to face judgnt.

The scene carried an uncanny weight.

Yet King Zhennan acted as if he noticed nothing and continued leading the complicated procedures. For a ti, his voice alone filled the stage.

As the steps dragged on, the atmosphere of the entire banquet grew increasingly bizarre.

After half an hour, King Zhennan finally said, "Next is the final part of the engagent ceremony—the exchange of tokens."

He paused deliberately, then turned to the ten newlyweds. "Once you exchange tokens, you are one family. From this day on, you must live in harmony. Now—begin the exchange."

The eight won all frowned instinctively, except for Zhao Zhiruo, who cheerfully drew her token from her storage ring.

Seeing this, the other eight could not continue to delay. They each brought out their tokens, preparing to exchange them—when suddenly, a discordant voice rang out.

"Wait!!!"

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