"That damn Demon. He’s making such a huge fanfare over taking a Taoist Companion, as if he’s afraid someone won’t know about it."

"Heh... And this female cultivator. She clearly cultivates the immortal way, yet she insists on falling into the Demonic Path and associating with Demon Cultivators. It’s preposterous... Look, the one pulling the carriage is a Vermilion! Isn’t that the one that appeared in Breezewind Town? Its whereabouts have been unknown all this time, so it turns out it fell into the hands of Demon Cultivators. I knew it! There’s no way they would have been so kind as to save the people of Breezewind Town. They just took all the prizes for themselves."

"The Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermilion... of the Four Cardinal Beasts, the Demonic Sects have claimed three of them. Those Divine Beasts should have belonged to our Immortal Sects, but now they’ve all been seized by the Demonic Sects."

Some even felt that a Demon Cultivator shouldn’t be allowed to have a wife.

"A Demon, getting married and having children."

"Pah! A Demon Cultivator who kills without batting an eye deserves a wife?"

"What on earth is that female cultivator thinking? Are there no men left in our Immortal Sects? What does she even see in him?"

These people could only grumble resentfully in the shadows.

There was nothing they could do. Javier Sinclair was strong. They couldn’t defeat him at all.

Otherwise, the Seven Great Celestial Sects would have joined forces long ago to wipe out the Demonic Sects and unify the Cultivation World. How could they have allowed these Demon Cultivators to run so rampant?

「Meanwhile」

The wedding procession from the Bloodfiend Den flew across the sky, making a lively and celebratory circuit around the entire Cultivation World. Everywhere it passed, Cultivators stopped to watch.

From time to time, they would have people toss down some pre-prepared Spirit Stones, talismans, and Elixir Pills to the bystander Cultivators below.

Magic was used to ensure the Spirit Stones and other items tossed from above flew directly into people’s hands. Naturally, those who received the free Spirit Stones were delighted, though some of the more self-righteous cultivators disdained to accept them.

"Congratulations, congratulations."

"Thank you."

"May The Blood-Venerate and his wife be blessed with a hundred years of happy union."

"May The Blood-Venerate and his wife be forever of one heart."

"Congratulations, congratulations... May The Exalted One and his wife enjoy a hundred years of happiness and be blessed with a son soon."

"Congratulations, congratulations... A hundred years of happiness..."

Wherever the wedding procession passed, the Cultivators showered them with congratulations.

As the saying goes, you can’t bite the hand that feeds you. They had simply been given too much; it would have felt wrong not to say a few nice words.

By the afternoon, they had finally returned to Bloodfiend City and the main headquarters of the Bloodfiend Den to prepare for the grand wedding ceremony.

As Javier Sinclair’s Left Protector, Nerida’s presence was representative of Javier himself, so she led the reception for the arriving guests.

The guests included not only the six major powers of the Demonic Sects but also several Cultivator Noble Houses and some Loose Cultivators, all of whom had come bearing ample gifts.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion.

「Later that evening」

The setting sun cast its glow upon the grand hall of the Bloodfiend Den.

The crowd of people who came to witness the ceremony stretched from the outer plaza all the way into the grand hall. Aside from a few seats set up for guests of higher status, most people had to stand. They were all here to observe.

The throne at the head of the hall had long been moved away, and the space was now a ceremonial hall. At the front were the memorial tablets of Javier Sinclair’s parents, and beside them were two other seats, reserved for Celeste Grant’s parents.

The Cultivators who had come to observe were somewhat dumbfounded when they saw the memorial tablets on display.

According to the rumors, Javier Sinclair was cruel, murderous, and had disowned his own kin. It was even said he had killed his own father. So why was his father’s memorial tablet now on display?

Though they were all intensely curious and sensed there was a juicy story to be had, none of them dared to ask.

Just then, a figure slowly walked to the front of the hall and came to a stop.

It was Elder Sawyer.

He began to speak. "First, I’d like to thank all of our fellow Cultivators from across the Cultivation World, as well as all friends and family, for attending the wedding of our Exalted One and his wife. As the saying goes, ’A single meeting between destined lovers is more precious than all the treasures in the world.’ On this momentous day, let us gather together to witness this new couple be joined in blissful union."

"Hear, hear!"

"Hurry up, it’s time for the ceremony!"

"Yeah, we can’t wait for the wedding feast!"

Elder Sawyer’s gaze swept over the crowd before he raised a hand, gesturing toward the memorial tablets at the front.

"Before the ceremony begins, I have a few words to say. For a long time, there have been rumors circulating that our Exalted One murdered his own father. This is not true. The truth is that years ago, an Evil Cultivator possessed The Exalted One’s father and obliterated his Primordial Spirit. That Evil Cultivator then used his body to marry another woman and have children, and was also responsible for the death of The Exalted One’s mother. Therefore, when The Exalted One grew up and killed that person, he was avenging his parents and reclaiming his father’s body. The Exalted One has always disdained to explain these matters to outsiders, but on this important day, allow me to clarify on his behalf. As sons and daughters, if your parents were possessed and murdered, would you not seek revenge?"

Hearing this, the entire crowd erupted in an uproar.

"So that’s what happened."

"So that’s how it was... I should have known. Who would kill their own father for no reason?"

"It seems we misunderstood."

"It’s true what they say... sometimes what you see isn’t the truth. The truth is often far crueler."

Some people became angry.

"Of course you’d have to get revenge!" 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"As a son, avenging your parents is perfectly justified! Once a person is possessed, they’re no longer your real father. So of course you have to kill that person and reclaim the body. I fully support his actions."

Elder Sawyer raised a hand to quiet the crowd.

"And that is the truth of the matter. Although The Exalted One’s parents passed away several hundred years ago, we still hope that, on the day of his grand wedding, their spirits can be here to witness it."

"Though The Exalted One’s parents are no longer with us, we are honored to have the bride’s parents here today. Please, let us welcome our esteemed father- and mother-in-law to their seats!"

Celeste Grant’s parents were led to their seats.

This couple couldn’t have defeated a single person in this room, yet at this moment, their backs were ramrod straight. They showed not an ounce of stage fright, mainly because they had seen so much that they had grown used to it.

Their son-in-law was strong.

Their daughter was strong, too.

Once the two elders were seated, Elder Sawyer announced loudly, "The auspicious hour has arrived! Let us welcome The Exalted One and his lady!"

Under the watchful eyes of the entire crowd, a male cultivator and a female cultivator, both dressed in wedding robes, appeared at the entrance. He held her hand as they slowly walked into the grand hall.

At that moment, the light of the setting sun fell upon them, a perfect match of handsome talent and stunning beauty.

Even the onlookers who had come to witness the ceremony held their breath.

For some of the Loose Cultivators, this was their first time seeing the legendary number one Demon Cultivator in the world. ’He actually looks like *that*? No wonder that female cultivator fell for him. We really can’t compare.’

It wasn’t just them.

In the Bloodfiend Den’s official livestream, the female cultivators watching on their phones were practically swooning when they saw Javier Sinclair.

"That’s The Archfiend, Javier Sinclair?"

"He’s way too handsome."

"Suddenly, my own radiant and noble Third Senior Brother looks like a commoner standing next to him."

Although they thought the Demon was incredibly handsome, when it came to actually liking him, they admitted they didn’t dare. They wanted to live a little longer, thank you very much.

Back at the Bloodfiend Den,

Celeste Grant and Javier Sinclair walked hand-in-hand to their places at the front of the hall.

Elder Sawyer began to officiate:

"First bow, to Heaven and Earth."

"For the blessed fate given by Heaven, and the pair created by Earth."

"Second bow, to the honored elders."

"For the grace of our parents, who gave us life and raised us."

"Third bow, to each other."

"May you have a hundred years of happiness and be forever of one heart."