Chapter 194: The Bride of the Sky Family
"Wait... please don’t go..." Maria Lan begged while covering her chest with silk cloth.
But Tony ignored her.
"You’re still going?"
Tony nodded.
The woman immediately stood as well and followed him toward the door. "Don’t go."
Tony continued dressing.
The woman followed. "Seriously, don’t go."
Tony ignored her.
The woman grabbed his sleeve again. "You never used to ignore me."
The original owner probably never ignored her. Not once... Which explained why she looked genuinely shocked.
The woman stared at him for several moments before finally asking the question that had been bothering her from the beginning.
"What’s wrong with you today?"
Tony smiled. "Nothing."
Then he opened the door.
Outside, a servant was kneeling with tears practically flowing from his eyes.
The moment he saw Tony, relief exploded across his face.
"Master, I..." The servant tried to say something. But Tony just showed his palm.
"Let’s go..." Tony casually said, which made the servant smile like an idiot.
After a short ride on wooden carriage...
The moment Tony followed the servant through the final corridor and stepped into the main ceremonial hall, he felt as though he had entered a completely different world.
The scale of the wedding far exceeded anything he had imagined. Hundreds of floating spirit lamps illuminated the enormous hall with a warm golden glow while countless jade pillars stretched toward a ceiling painted with ancient divine beasts and celestial formations.
Red silk decorations flowed from pillar to pillar like rivers of fire, and every table was filled with influential guests whose names alone could shake entire regions.
For a few seconds, Tony genuinely stood stunned.
The original owner’s fragmented memories had prepared him for a wedding.
They had not prepared him for this.
The entire city seemed to have gathered here.
Representatives from powerful clans occupied the front rows. Merchants with wealth rivaling kingdoms sat beside famous cultivators. Elders from numerous organizations watched from elevated platforms while musicians continuously played ceremonial melodies in the background.
The atmosphere felt grand.
Within moments, hundreds of eyes landed directly upon him.
The music continued... The ceremony continued. Yet the whispers spread like wildfire.
"So he finally came."
"I thought he ran away."
"The Sky Family almost cancelled the marriage."
"The Clark Family has completely lost face today."
"I heard he spent the entire night with Madam Lan."
"That fool truly doesn’t know how fortunate he is."
Many guests didn’t even bother lowering their voices. Several Sky Family elders openly glared at him. Some younger disciples looked as though they wanted to challenge him on the spot.
Even many members of the Clark Family appeared embarrassed.
Tony suddenly understood why the servant had looked ready to cry earlier.
This wasn’t simply a wedding. This was a political alliance... A public event. A gathering witnessed by the entire region. And he had nearly destroyed it before it began.
The servant beside him lowered his head so deeply that he almost looked guilty by association.
"Young Master... please keep walking."
Tony finally snapped out of his thoughts and continued forward.
The crowd naturally parted before him.
Many guests looked curious... Many looked angry. Yet the angriest gaze came from a single person seated near the ceremonial altar.
The Clark Family Patriarch...!
The old man’s expression looked calm. Tony wisely avoided eye contact.
Several attendants immediately rushed forward and placed the ceremonial golden crown upon his head. The crown itself was an ancient treasure passed down through generations of the Clark Family, and the moment it settled into place, countless formation runes lit up across its surface.
The surrounding guests finally relaxed slightly.
At least the groom was present... At least the ceremony could continue... At least nobody would become the laughingstock of the century.
The officiating elder looked as though he had just escaped death.
Without wasting another second, he hurriedly resumed the interrupted ceremony and guided Tony toward the seat beside the bride.
Tony sat.
And finally... He looked at her properly. The woman sitting beside him was beautiful. She possessed the type of beauty that naturally created distance between herself and others.
Her silver ceremonial robes seemed woven from moonlight itself, while the phoenix crown resting upon her head gave her an almost noble appearance. Everything about her felt elegant and refined.
Yet the most noticeable thing wasn’t her appearance. It was her expression.
The woman looked annoyed... As though somebody had forced her to attend a meeting she never wanted.
The moment Tony sat beside her, she didn’t even turn her head.
She simply continued staring forward while the elder recited ceremonial blessings.
Several moments passed... Then her voice quietly entered his ears.
"You actually came."
Tony smiled. "I know. A shocking development."
The bride finally glanced toward him. The look she gave him could probably freeze a lake.
"Don’t flatter yourself. I was simply surprised that you remembered where the wedding hall was located."
Tony almost laughed. ’Interesting... Very interesting. The woman clearly possessed no intention of acting like a gentle bride.’
The ceremony continued... Guests watched... The musicians played.
Meanwhile the bride continued attacking him quietly. "Without your grandfather, you wouldn’t even qualify to carry my shoes."
Tony turned toward her.
The woman remained completely serious. "If not for his reputation, my family wouldn’t even consider this marriage."
Tony nodded thoughtfully. "I see."
The bride frowned. That wasn’t the reaction she expected. Normally such words would provoke anger. Instead he looked genuinely interested.
The woman narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
Tony simply smiled. The truth was that he wasn’t offended. ’How could he be? The woman was ridiculously beautiful. When beautiful women insulted people, they somehow sounded less threatening.’
The bride immediately noticed his smile. "Why are you grinning like an idiot?"
Tony answered honestly. "Because you’re beautiful."
The bride froze.
The surrounding guests remained unaware because the conversation stayed hidden beneath the ceremonial chants.
Yet the woman herself clearly heard every word. For several seconds she simply stared at him. Then she turned away. "Shameless."
Tony laughed quietly. The ceremony continued. The bride occasionally glanced toward him.
The more she observed him, the stranger he felt. This wasn’t the same Tony she remembered.
The original Tony would’ve spent the entire ceremony looking guilty. Or depressed. Or distracted.
This version appeared completely relaxed.
Eventually Tony spoke again. "I like you."
The bride nearly turned her neck too quickly. Her eyes widened. For the first time since he arrived, genuine surprise appeared on her face. "What?"
Tony looked completely calm. "I said I like you."
The woman stared at him as though he had suddenly become insane. Then she immediately looked around to make sure nobody else heard. "What kind of ridiculous game are you playing now?"
"No game." Tony shrugged casually.
The bride remained suspicious.
Tony continued. "I already ditched her."
The woman’s expression changed. "Who?"
"The lady from the pleasure house."
The answer immediately caught her attention. For several moments she simply watched him.
Trying to determine whether he was joking.
Tony continued calmly. "I won’t be visiting her again."
The bride genuinely didn’t know how to react. The statement felt impossible. The entire city knew how obsessed he had been. The entire city knew how much trouble he had caused because of that woman. Now he was casually announcing that everything had ended.
The bride eventually recovered.
Unfortunately for Tony, her response wasn’t particularly romantic.
"Even if that’s true, I still won’t let you sleep with me."
Tony laughed.
The bride immediately regretted speaking. A faint trace of red appeared on her ears. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done.
Tony looked even more amused.
The woman glared at him. "If you’re imagining some miraculous future where I suddenly become a loving wife, abandon that fantasy immediately."
Tony continued smiling.
The bride became increasingly annoyed.
The officiating elder finally reached the last stage of the ceremony before either side could create more trouble.
An attendant presented the sacred marriage thread. The entire hall immediately became quiet. Hundreds of guests focused upon the ceremonial platform. This was the most important moment.
Tony accepted the thread. The bride reluctantly extended her hand. Their eyes met briefly... Then Tony tied it.
’The marriage was complete.’
Instantly the hall exploded with sound. Massive drums thundered throughout the venue. Musicians began playing celebratory songs. Spiritual fireworks erupted above the hall. Guests stood and applauded. Elders released relieved sighs. The Sky Family alliance was secured. The Clark Family reputation was saved.
The wedding had succeeded.
Yet beneath the applause, countless young men silently cursed their misfortune. Many stared toward the bride with envy burning inside their hearts.
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Tq @ShadowEvolver for the Pizza! Tq
