Leng Yaozhu had a headache. In just one night, the threshold of the Leng family was almost trampled flat.
Guests arrived in wave after wave. As soon as she and Xia Yi returned home, she was immediately surrounded.
Gifts of congratulations came flooding in.
There were even more than when Shrek Academy announced a year or two ago that Yun Ming was going to marry her.
Many hidden aristocratic families showed up.
Yuanen Zhentian of the Yuanen Clan even promised that as long as Leng Yaozhu could make him a set of four-word battle armor, he would help her unconditionally three times in the future whenever she asked.
Qiangu Dongfeng also subtly hinted at Leng Yaozhu, mentioning that both Xia Yi and Gu Yue had the potential to become candidate Spirit Transmitters.
Qiangu Zhangting placed his hand on Xia Yi's shoulder, acting like they were real brothers.
Qiangu Zhangting kept calling him "Brother Yi, Brother Yi" non-stop.
Even Qiangu Qingfeng and his wife kept addressing her as "Sister Yaozhu, Sister Yaozhu" over and over again.
Yali left but then returned, even bringing Yun Ming along. She expressed willingness to lend Leng Yaozhu the Seagod Pavilion's most treasured artifact, the Vast Sea Universe Crystal, for her to study.
Of course, the price was a set of four-word battle armor for Shrek Academy.
With so many Hyper Douluo in Shrek Academy, there were plenty of people in need of four-word battle armor.
Even two Hyper Douluo from the Tang Sect showed up.
However, they weren't representing the Tang Sect but themselves personally.
Even the Federation's Parliament and the Royal Family sent congratulatory messages to Xia Yi and Leng Yaozhu.
By this point, even if some opposed the union of Xia Yi and Leng Yaozhu, their voices would be drowned out. Any resistance was meaningless.
However, the Tang Sect and Long Yeyue still refused to give up.
That night, even though the Leng family had not invited any guests, the banquet hall was still packed with people.
Xia Yi was forced to drink a lot and ended up completely drunk.
Of course, it wasn't the guests who made him drink—it was Leng family's own disciples.
Xia Yi had married their Clan Leader. Last night, because Leng Yaozhu had to let Leng Yulei come out to pay respects to their parents, she had chased everyone away, giving them no opportunity to celebrate.
Tonight was the only chance for them to "bully" Xia Yi, and they weren't going to let him off so easily.
A bunch of burly men surrounded him, forcing him to drink non-stop while forbidding him from using soul power. Xia Yi really couldn't take it.
In the end, Tang Sect appeared, forcing Xia Yi to use his soul power to push some of the alcohol into his martial soul.
In an instant, his Eight-Tails form shattered. The terrifying cold aura stunned all the fire-attribute Leng family disciples into silence.
But that only lasted for a brief moment, as his soul power was completely drained.
He then reverted to Four-Tails form.
Outside the Leng family's gate, a group of Tang Sect disciples carried large chests, lining them up neatly along the road.
As soon as Leng Yaozhu and Xia Yi appeared, the leader of the group raised his voice and shouted:
"By order, we have come to congratulate the Heavenly Phoenix Your Excellency and Master Xia Yi!"
Before Xia Yi and Leng Yaozhu could speak, he took out a large brass gong and struck it forcefully—
Clang~~~~!
At the sound of the gong, row after row of chests were opened!
Every time a chest was opened, the leader would shout loudly:
"Five hundred tiger whips!"
"Three hundred pairs of deer antlers!"
"Two hundred sea dog kidneys!"
…
As the announcements echoed through the air, the guests' faces turned uglier and uglier.
If this enraged Leng Yaozhu, their attendance tonight might end up being completely wasted.
Of course, the one whose face was ugliest was Leng Yaozhu herself.
She could already feel countless curious gazes sweeping over her and Xia Yi.
"Zang Xin, what's even the point of doing something this disgusting?" Yali sighed softly.
Zang Xin knew that in just one day, the public had already accepted Xia Yi and Leng Yaozhu's relationship. Speaking out against it now would be pointless.
So instead of opposing, he chose to disgust them instead.
Tonight, though it wasn't Xia Yi and Leng Yaozhu's actual wedding day, with so many guests gathered, it might as well have been.
And they just wanted to ruin this day for them.
Xia Yi had, within a single day, won over Shrek Academy, the Forging Association, and indirectly even the Spirit Pagoda and the Federation Government, thanks to Zhen Hua's timely assistance.
In just one day, he turned an affair that should have been universally condemned into something that everyone accepted.
His speed was too fast, leaving them with no time to act.
Having no other options, they resorted to this method to disgust Xia Yi and Leng Yaozhu.
"Disgusting or not, these items might actually be useful to Xia Yi and Leng Yaozhu." Yun Ming muttered quietly.
In fact, many guests were thinking the same thing.
Xia Yi's cultivation level was far below Leng Yaozhu's, and so was his physical fitness.
Plus, Leng Yaozhu had been lonely for years.
At this point, the timing of Tang Sect's gifts made it impossible not to overthink things.
"You talk too much." Yali shot Yun Ming a glare in dissatisfaction.
You? Judging Xia Yi?
I don't even want to embarrass you.
Compared to Leng Yaozhu's anger, Xia Yi remained completely composed.
"Guests are guests. No matter what they bring, it's their goodwill. Leng Feng, have people bring these gifts inside, and invite them in. Treat them well." Xia Yi smiled the entire time.
"Yes!" Leng Feng, despite being a Hyper Douluo, still had to obey since Xia Yi was Leng Yaozhu's man now.
Immediately, he and several Leng family disciples carried all the gifts and Tang Sect disciples inside.
However, just as the leader with the gong was about to step inside—
Xia Yi suddenly stopped him.
"What's your name, brother?" Xia Yi asked, smiling.
"Tang Tang!" The man replied.
"Tang Tang? Great name." Xia Yi nodded approvingly and said, "Since you and your brothers have come to celebrate, I'd like to return the favor with a grand gift."
Upon hearing this, all eyes locked onto Xia Yi.
They suddenly realized—Xia Yi had been smiling the whole time.
"Could he actually be happy with the Tang Sect's gifts?"
"Could he be about to give them a set of four-word battle armor?!"
Everyone wanted to stop him, but they had no reason to intervene—
After all, the gifts belonged to Xia Yi and Leng Yaozhu.
It was up to them how they handled them.
All they could do was frantically send messages to Leng Yaozhu, urging her to persuade Xia Yi.
"A grand gift?" Tang Tang was stunned.
They had come to cause trouble, and they had expected to be thrown out.
Yet not only did Xia Yi not expel them, he even treated them as guests—
And now he wanted to give them a return gift?!
"Could it be that Xia Yi actually needed those items?"
Tang Tang eyed Xia Yi carefully—
Tall and slender, but not particularly muscular.
In fact, he looked rather delicate, like a scholar.
This confirmed his suspicion.
"To be honest, Yaozhu and I plan to have a child soon, so the items your Tang Sect sent are just what I need." Xia Yi nodded with a smile, "Confirming" everyone's suspicions.
Just as the Tang Sect disciples were about to celebrate their success, Xia Yi continued—
"For that reason, Yaozhu and I consulted a divine doctor and obtained a secret fertility prescription. I'd like to gift it to you."
Tang Tang: "What??"
"Do you think it's useless? Let me tell you, if you give this to your Sect Master and Vice Sect Master, they will surely reward you greatly." Xia Yi patted Tang Tang's shoulder and continued, "The Amorous Sword and the Emotionless Sword have been together for so many years, yet they still don't have a child. They must be dreaming of having one. If you give them this fertility formula, do you think they'll be happy and reward you handsomely?"
Before Xia Yi could even finish speaking, a wave of barely suppressed laughter rippled through the crowd.
"You—you're spouting nonsense!" Seeing Xia Yi's utterly serious expression, Tang Tang was so furious that he wanted to tear his mouth apart.
"Nonsense? Why, does Brother Tang not want the Amorous Sword and Emotionless Sword to have an heir?" Xia Yi asked with a smile.
"We're leaving!" Gritting his teeth, Tang Tang waved his hand and led the Tang Sect disciples away in a hurry.
He had never expected that instead of making Xia Yi the target of ridicule, he himself had become the laughingstock.
"Brother Tang, at least have a drink before you leave! And don't forget to take the fertility formula with you!" Xia Yi called after them as they departed.
Hearing Xia Yi's words, Tang Tang clenched his teeth and hastened his pace, leading the Tang Sect disciples away as fast as possible until they disappeared from sight.
"Brilliant!" Qian Gu Zhang Ting gave Xia Yi a thumbs-up.
He had thought that Xia Yi would lose his temper and have the Leng Clan members throw the Tang Sect people out.
But instead, Xia Yi resolved the matter effortlessly, without lifting a finger.
Forget Tang Tang— even if Zang Xin himself were here, he wouldn't be able to find fault with Xia Yi's response.
"This kid isn't just frighteningly talented. At such a young age, he already handles situations with such poise. He's bound for greatness," Qian Gu Dong Feng said as a glimmer of admiration flashed through his eyes.
"Sigh, trying to mess with Xia Yi? They picked the wrong person." Ya Li sighed softly.
Among the powerhouses present, she had been the first to meet Xia Yi.
Aside from Leng Yaozhu, she was the one who understood him best.
She knew better than anyone that even when Xia Yi seemed cornered, he could always think of the simplest way out in an instant— and often, he could even turn the tables.
Whenever he executed his plans, people would find them incredibly straightforward.
Yet, when setting traps for him, they never seemed to anticipate how he would counter them.
"For Sister Yaozhu to take a liking to him, this Xia Yi is truly remarkable," Cold Rhyme Douluo Xia Zhengleng said, holding Qian Gu Qing Feng's hand and speaking in a serious tone.
"Indeed. Just now, I sensed Amorous Douluo's aura. He must have been watching from the shadows. If Xia Yi had directly ordered his people to throw them out, it would have played right into his hands," Qian Gu Qing Feng said solemnly, giving Xia Yi another thoughtful glance.