Amidst the festive clanging of gongs and drums, a grand procession appeared, some striking gongs, others beating drums, still others blowing trumpets and holding up signs. On those signs, two large characters were clearly written: "Wedding Escort!"
As for the group's attire, it was equally festive. By all appearances, it looked exactly like a wedding procession — which was precisely what left everyone bewildered, because they couldn't figure out where this group had come from, or whose bride they were here to escort.
Most importantly, though the group was dressed festively, they were also quite strange. Not for any other reason than the fact that every single one of them wore a mask, concealing their faces entirely.
"Halt! Who are you?!" Guards from the City Lord's Mansion rushed out and blocked the procession at the entrance, eyeing them warily.
"By order of the Grey-Robed Master, we have come to escort the City Lord's daughter, Miss Su Mei, in marriage!" bellowed the man at the front.
"What? Escort Su Mei in marriage? Isn't Su Mei Shangguan Ya's fiancée? Why would they come to marry Su Mei?"
"And who is this Grey-Robed Master? He's showing up on the very day the Shangguan family holds their wedding escort to snatch the Shangguan family's daughter-in-law? He's practically slapping the Shangguan family in the face in front of everyone!"
Exclamations erupted throughout the crowd. Everyone was stunned by that man's words. Even the people from the City Lord's Mansion were utterly baffled, scratching their heads in confusion. But one thing they could be certain of: this procession had clearly come to cause trouble. Whether their target was the Shangguan family or the City Lord's Mansion, however, was anyone's guess.
"Damn it! You dare come to Shangguan territory and cause trouble? You must have a death wish! Men, seize them!"
Shangguan Tian was furious. Before anyone from the City Lord's Mansion could act, he ordered his men to charge at the procession. However, he only gave the order to capture them — not to kill them.
Why? Naturally, because this was a joyous occasion and blood could not be spilled. That would be extremely inauspicious.
"Woo-wah~~"
But before the Shangguan forces could even get close, the man at the front swept his wide sleeve, and a tremendous burst of Yuan Force descended from above, splitting into several invisible blades that instantly cut down dozens of Shangguan men on the spot.
Moreover, this person was exceptionally ruthless — not only did he kill the Shangguan men, but he also severed all their limbs, leaving their corpses in a truly horrifying state. Blood spilled across the ground.
"This..."
The scene left everyone's jaws on the ground. Onlookers instinctively stumbled backward, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.
Just now, they had all felt it — among the opposing forces, there was a Xuan Martial realm expert, and not just any expert, but one at the third level of Xuan Martial.
Furthermore, judging from their merciless methods, everyone could tell that this procession had come with truly hostile intent.
"Anyone who dares interfere with the Grey-Robed Master's business will be killed without mercy!" the one who had just attacked said flatly.
At the same time, the hundreds of people behind him set down what they were carrying and released their powerful auras. There were three Xuan Martial realm experts among them, and aside from those three, every last one of the remaining hundreds stood at the peak of Yuan Martial.
"Heavens, what kind of power is this? How could they possibly have such strength?"
Their powerful auras swept outward like invisible hurricanes, and everyone present could feel the crushing pressure. The Shangguan family and the City Lord's people could still manage, but the high-ranking officials and nobles among the onlookers found their expressions turning ugly.
Because the opposing force was incredibly powerful — it was roughly equivalent to the elite strength of a second-tier sect. No wonder they dared to challenge the Shangguan family so brazenly; they truly possessed the strength to back it up.
"How splendid — 'killed without mercy.' I'd very much like to see just who this Grey-Robed Master is."
Suddenly, an aged voice rang out. A fierce gust of wind swept past, and a one-eyed old man appeared before Shangguan Tian and Shangguan Ya.
"That's Shangguan Yue, patriarch of the Shangguan family! Word has it that he has stepped into the sixth level of Xuan Martial and become the strongest fighter in Vermilion Bird City. I wonder if that's true."
When the old man appeared, many people present cried out in shock. Even Shangguan Tian and Shangguan Ya hastily leapt down from their horses and hurried behind the one-eyed elder, bowing respectfully: "Grandfather!"
"Step aside. I alone am enough to cut down this bunch of rats." Shangguan Yue waved his hand dismissively. Then his sharp brows knitted together, his single eye blazed with piercing light, and his entire bearing transformed in an instant.
His robes billowed wildly without any wind as a formidable aura surged from within him like a tidal wave, forming invisible, towering swells of pressure that crashed one after another toward the procession.
"Heavens, he really is at the sixth level of Xuan Martial! He's actually stepped into the sixth level!"
That overwhelming aura drained the color from everyone's faces. The City Lord's Mansion people were especially shaken, their expressions growing extremely grim. This meant that in terms of cultivation, Shangguan Yue had truly surpassed their own City Lord, Su Hen. The City Lord's Mansion had truly lost to the Shangguan family.
In truth, facing that terrifying aura, even the Sect Master of the Void Sect was rattled. They never could have imagined that Shangguan Yue had already entered the sixth level of Xuan Martial.
In the Xuan Martial realm, each level was like an uncrossable chasm, far beyond the reach of ordinary people. So, being only at the third level of Xuan Martial, facing the aura of a sixth-level expert was like standing before an unstoppable tidal wave — nowhere to flee, nowhere to block, with nothing to do but await death.
At that moment, everyone from the Void Sect couldn't help but regret their decision and began inching backward. Though success would bring them tremendous rewards, they weren't willing to die for it.
"Hmph, just as I thought — nothing but rats!"
Looking at the cowardly procession, Shangguan Yue thrust out his chest and let out a cold snort. Though his expression was displeased, inwardly he was ecstatic. No matter who this group really was, they had handed him a perfect opportunity to display his power and establish his dominance over Vermilion Bird City.
He knew that from this day forward, the people of Vermilion Bird City would no longer fear Su Hen the most — they would fear him, Shangguan Yue. Control of this city was destined to fall into his Shangguan family's hands.
"Tricks and trivialities!"
But just when everyone thought the procession was doomed, from within the wedding sedan, an aged voice suddenly rang out.
And at the same moment the voice sounded, everyone could clearly see a vast expanse of grey gas materialize before the procession. The gas condensed rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, it formed a barrier.