211: Chapter 211 Chu Sheng's Ten Thousand Stones

The Imperial Capital was decked out in lanterns and streamers, with a wedding procession stretching for ten miles.

The eldest princess of the Tianfeng Kingdom is marrying Ye Wuhen. This wedding has been in preparation for three full months; it is said that the list of invited guests alone took three days and three nights to write.

Inside and outside the Imperial City, crowds were everywhere offering their congratulations. Every restaurant on the streets had been booked, and even the moat was covered in floating lanterns.

Chu Sheng stood before the teleportation array, observing the spectacle with only one thought in his mind.

"This kid Ye Wuhen really knows how to put on a show."

It wasn't meant as an insult; it was admiration.

Better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early.

As the only son of the Wendao Palace Sect Master and the Young Lord of a top-tier power in the Central Region, he insisted on becoming a prince consort in the Tianfeng Kingdom of the Northern Region.

"What for?"

"Isn't it just for this liveliness, this spectacle, and the feeling of being the center of attention for thousands?"

Chu Sheng had spent over half a year at Wendao Palace and had completely figured out Ye Wuhen's personality.

He didn't care for Spirit Stones, Magic Treasures, or beautiful women—at least, not on the surface.

What he loved was prestige, the feeling of standing in the center of the crowd, looked up to by everyone.

Chu Sheng smiled and strode through the city gates.

The wedding was held in the main hall of the Tianfeng Kingdom's Imperial Palace. Three hundred tables were laid out inside and outside the hall, packed with civil and military officials, various factions, and renowned Loose Cultivators.

Ye Wuhen wore a bright red wedding robe, a jade pendant hanging from his waist, and his hair tied back with a gold crown. He had sharp, sword-like brows, bright eyes, and a Face as handsome as jade.

Yet his expression was indifferent—so indifferent it was almost blank, as if none of this had anything to do with him.

Chu Sheng knew it was all an act.

He must have been thrilled inside.

Chu Sheng didn't have an invitation, but he didn't need one.

He walked to the entrance of the main hall. Just as the guards were about to stop him, he released a trace of his aura—the pressure of a Mid-stage Palace Building.

The two Spirit Spring Realm guards' legs went weak, and they collapsed to their knees, their Faces as pale as paper.

The hundreds of guests inside the hall simultaneously felt that terrifying aura. Wine glasses froze in mid-air, laughter cut off abruptly, and everyone turned to look at the entrance in unison.

Chu Sheng walked in.

He wore a moon-white Daoist robe, his hair tied back casually, and a pitch-black long sword hung at his waist, its dark red patterns shimmering faintly in the sunlight.

"Chu Sheng."

He spoke, his voice not loud, yet clearly audible throughout the entire hall. "A gift of ten thousand Spirit Stones."

He placed the pile of Spirit Stones on the gift table at the entrance and then pulled something else from his Storage Pouch.

A fruit.

It was the size of a fist, entirely golden, with red patterns on its surface that looked like flickering flames.

The fruit's aroma permeated the air. The guests at the nearby tables smelled it and felt the spiritual power within their bodies stir, as if they were on the verge of a Breakthrough.

He had just so happened to swipe this from the Third Peak, and now it came in handy.

A fifth-order Alchemist stood up from the crowd, eyes wide and lips trembling.

"This is... this is... a Dragon Flame Gold Fruit! A seventh-order spirit fruit! Consuming it can allow a Spirit Sea Realm Cultivator to directly break through a minor Realm, and it has miraculous effects for the Dao Palace Realm as well! I've only ever seen it in ancient texts! This thing is priceless! It could buy more than half the Imperial City!"

The hall erupted in an uproar.

Seventh-order spirit fruit, half the Imperial City—these words exploded among the crowd like bombs.

How much was the Tianfeng Kingdom royal family's annual tax revenue, anyway?

A single fruit was worth half the Imperial City?

Chu Sheng smiled, placed the fruit on the gift table, and turned to walk toward Ye Wuhen.

Ye Wuhen watched him with an expressionless Face, but Chu Sheng noticed something.

He was suppressing his excitement—it was all an act.

Chu Sheng walked up to Ye Wuhen, cupped his hands in greeting, and reached out to pat him on the shoulder.

"Brother Ye, happy wedding."

Ye Wuhen's body stiffened.

A Dao Palace Realm Elder was patting his shoulder in public, calling him brother.

The people present gasped.

The prince consort was that impressive?

A Dao Palace Realm Elder calling him brother?

The strongest in the Tianfeng Kingdom was only at the Spirit Sea Realm; what was the concept of a Dao Palace Realm?

That was an existence capable of shattering the Imperial City with a single slap.

A figure of that level was putting his arm around the prince consort?

The corners of Ye Wuhen's mouth twitched slightly.

It wasn't quite a smile, but it was much better than being expressionless.

Then, he stepped back and stood at the very front of the guest seating area.

He didn't sit down, but simply stood there with his arms crossed, watching the wedding continue.

The King of Tianfeng stood up from his seat of honor.

He had seen Chu Sheng earlier, but he needed time to confirm.

Was this young man in the Dao Palace Realm really an Elder of the Wendao Palace?

He had confirmed it; he truly was.

His expression shifted, then he plastered on a smile, stepped down from his seat, and personally went to greet him.

"E-Elder Chu," Jiang Wuji said, cupping his hands, his voice slightly strained. "Your presence honors us. Please forgive me for not greeting you sooner."

Chu Sheng looked at the King of Tianfeng, whom he had once looked up to.

A Late Stage of Sea Opening Realm Cultivator, bowing and saluting before him.

He remembered how he used to think everyone in the Imperial Capital was a big shot.

Now, those big shots were bowing before him.

Chu Sheng nodded and said, "No need for such formalities."

The King of Tianfeng invited him to the center of the guest of honor table.

The Prefect of Beiming Prefecture stood up and cupped his hands. "Elder Chu, I have heard much about you."

Chu Sheng glanced at him and nodded.

He recalled the scenes from his simulations and felt no hatred in his heart, only a faint sense of reflection.

The mountains he once thought were insurmountable were now merely stepping stones.

It wasn't that he had become arrogant; it was that the mountains had become shorter.

No, that wasn't it—he had simply grown taller.

Elder Wang of the Wendao Palace branch was also among the guests.

He sat in a corner, staring at Chu Sheng, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

The last time he had seen Chu Sheng was over half a year ago, when Chu Sheng was still his "junior".

And now?

Dao Palace Realm.

He couldn't see through him anymore. When he probed with his Divine Sense, it was like reaching into a bottomless abyss—there wasn't even an echo.

Elder Wang lowered his head and took a sip of wine, thinking to himself that this young man was truly terrifying.

Ye Wuhen's father, Ye Cang, did not attend, but several representatives from the Wendao Palace came—all Outer Sect Elders at the Sea Opening Realm.

When they saw Chu Sheng, they were stunned, then stood up in unison to salute. "Greetings, Elder Chu."

They looked at Ye Wuhen, then back at Chu Sheng, a thought forming in their minds simultaneously: This Northern Region prince consort was no simple man.

The wedding continued.

Bowing to Heaven and Earth, bowing to the Elders, and the couple bowing to each other.

Ye Wuhen's Face maintained that faint, composed expression throughout.

Yet he was overflowing with excitement, barely able to contain his thrill.

Chu Sheng chuckled to himself.

He had finally figured out Ye Wuhen's true colors.

Giving gifts wasn't as effective as giving Face; Spirit Stones couldn't compare to just showing up and supporting him.

What Ye Wuhen wanted wasn't Heaven And Earth Treasure or a confidante; he wanted the attention of the masses, to be distinguished in front of others, to be able to say, "Look at how impressive I am."

He just loved to show off.

And today, he had given him plenty of that.

The banquet began, and the sound of clinking glasses filled the air.

Chu Sheng sat at the guest of honor table, drinking wine and observing the guests filling the hall.

The civil and military officials of the Tianfeng Kingdom took turns offering him toasts, each one calling him "Elder Chu" and smiling more affectionately than if they were seeing their own fathers.

Those who had once trampled on him in Jin Xiao City weren't even fit to tie his shoes now.

Those Prefects and officials who had once been so high and mighty were now bowing and scraping before him, like a pack of tamed dogs.

The Tianfeng Kingdom, which he once considered a behemoth, was nothing more than this.

Chu Sheng raised his wine glass toward Ye Wuhen.

Ye Wuhen raised his glass in return and nodded slightly.

The two drank from across the room, draining their cups in one gulp.

Fireworks exploded outside the hall, illuminating the entire night sky.