[Wedding Hall - Evening]
As soon as the announcer called Fang Yuan's name, the hall erupted in whispers. People leaned toward each other, their voices sharp and cutting.
"I heard the chosen husband is a low-level disciple of the sect."
"He must be a scapegoat. The Empress never wanted to marry for thousands of years, so she chose this guy to put a stop to the marriage proposals."
"Maybe he is a scapegoat. You see, if he was some powerful guy and got kidnapped, they'd have to put all their effort into saving him. But this guy? They can let him be killed without caring."
"Apart from his looks, he's got nothing."
"Seems to be only Rank 1 Warrior at best."
The announcer cleared his throat loudly, trying to regain control of the crowd.
"Cough cough... here he comes!"
But Fang Yuan didn't appear immediately. Seconds turned into minutes, and the hall grew restless. The whispers turned into irritated murmurs.
"He's late for his own wedding!"
"How dare he make the Empress wait!"
Then Fang Yuan burst through the doors, running and hurriedly buttoning his top as he moved. He was breathing heavily, clearly having rushed to get here.
"Wait, I'm here!"
All eyes turned toward him. The assessment was swift and judgmental. A weak disciple. Nothing special. Certainly not worthy of the Empress.
"Sorry for being late. Well, it is my first marriage, so it can't be helped, I guess."
Who knew the marriage ceremony was set on a different peak? That damn master flew away, leaving me to run miles.
The crowd didn't find his explanation amusing. Their whispers grew louder, more cutting.
"Forgive me for marrying for the first time, he says. How dare a weak slave talk as if he can marry more than once!"
"Yeah, yeah. After marrying the Empress, who dares marry another? Is he delusional?"
"I heard he was only a worker here. Seems like he's got no manners either."
The Third Prince, Lin Xuyao, had been standing to the side with barely contained anger. His face turned red as he watched Fang Yuan walk casually toward the altar, showing no respect or urgency for the ceremony. He burst forward, his hand moving to the hilt of his sword.
"You fool! Making her wait! You should have been here even before us!"
Fang Yuan looked at him calmly, unbothered.
"Uh... I was busy. Don't worry, let's wrap this up quickly."
The Third Prince's anger reached its peak. He pulled out his sword in one fluid motion, the blade gleaming under the light. His cultivation base flared, causing several people to step back in fear.
"To uphold the dignity of the Empress, I challenge you to a duel!"
The hall fell silent. No one had expected such drama. All eyes turned to watch the unfolding situation.
"Isn't the Third Prince stronger than him?"
"Is he trying to bully him?"
"The Empress didn't stop him. She must not care about this disciple anyway."
Fang Yuan sighed, looking at the Prince with mild annoyance.
"You're way stronger than me. You'll win anyway."
The Third Prince's pride was wounded by such a casual dismissal. He scoffed loudly.
"Then I'll fight you with half my power. How about that? Accept if you're a man."
"Alright, alright. You're bleeding my ears now."
Fang Yuan walked toward the open space in the hall where they could fight. The crowd eagerly gathered around, their whispers turning into excited murmurs. They wanted to see the spectacle, to watch the weak disciple get crushed by the powerful Prince. The bootlicker who had instigated this smirked from the side, clearly pleased with how things were unfolding.
"Yes, the Peak Master should be with someone strong like the Prince, someone who has political power too."
Fang Yuan stepped forward into the space between them, his posture relaxed and casual.
"Since you challenged, you go first."
The Third Prince scoffed, pulling back his fist and gathering his qi around it. His power was immense, clearly far above Fang Yuan's current level.
"If I hit you first, you won't get a chance. You go ahead."
"Exactly what I was waiting for."
Fang Yuan reached into his mental inventory, activating his card.
"Use aura suppression."
The qi inside the Third Prince began to disappear slowly. Fang Yuan made sure not to suppress all of it—that would be too suspicious. He left him with just enough to seem like he still had half his power available.
"This is one of my originals."
Fang Yuan formed a ball of qi in his palm. The energy swirled and condensed, creating a small vortex of power that spun faster and faster.
"Specially inspired by Rasengan, if you know it."
The ball whirled with small currents running through it. He threw it forward with a casual flick of his wrist.
The Third Prince, unaware that his qi had been suppressed, thought he could easily deflect the attack. But when the ball got close, he realized something was wrong. His body wouldn't respond the way he expected.
The ball hit him square in the chest.
The impact sent him flying backward, crashing into a pillar. Dust erupted from the collision, and the crowd gasped in shock.
"A low-level disciple using such a powerful technique!"
"Even the Earth Realm cultivation of the Prince couldn't stop it!"
The Third Prince struggled to his feet, coughing and wiping blood from his mouth. His pride was shattered, but his anger only grew.
"I don't know how you did it, but I will have to use my full power now."
He gathered more energy around himself, preparing for a second attack.
"Way too quick to go back on your words."
Shit. If he uses full power, I'll have to use another suppression card. I can't waste them here. Who will control my wife then?
But when the Third Prince tried to use the rest of his power, nothing happened. The qi that should have responded to his will remained dormant, locked away. He froze, confusion flooding his face.
"I'm being... suppressed again? By who?"
His eyes followed the flow of qi and found the answer. It was Roxue. Her finger was raised slightly, and a thread of invisible qi was connected to the Prince, keeping him suppressed. It was unclear whether she was doing this to save Fang Yuan or to make him keep his word about the half-power duel.
"Good one, wifey."
The Prince's face twisted in confusion and betrayal.
"Why? Why would you suppress me for this trash? What is he to you that you'd do this?"
Before the Prince could say anything else, Fang Yuan's fist connected with his stomach.
Thump.
The Third Prince doubled over, blood spilling from his mouth. He crashed to the ground, completely defeated.
The crowd erupted in shocked silence. No one had expected this outcome. A low-level disciple had just defeated the Third Prince.
"The Prince actually... lost?"
"Looks like this guy used demonic techniques. How does he know the sect's techniques?"
"Don't you remember? He's still the Empress's disciple. She must have taught him."
Fang Yuan stood in the center of the circle, breathing calmly, looking completely unbothered. His mind was already moving on to other concerns.
Now that I've reincarnated, my real family in the Upper Realms will find out. The history might repeat again. Should I kill them this time? Yes, let's follow my lay-low plan. Still, I've only got a different body now. They will still recognize me, so I should act like how I used to act as a kid before my clan's annihilation.
But there was another problem. The real Fang Yuan family—his true family from the Upper Realms—they had already identified that he reincarnated. Some powerful families let their children live in the Lower Realms for a head start in cultivation. But the Fang Clan didn't need that. They were already one of the strongest and most prestigious clans.
Isn't this about time I... shit, shit, shit. I forgot. I was supposed to get a marriage proposal in the Lower Realms this time around. So of course they'll call me.
His parents only cared about connections and political power. They were ambitious and hungry for more influence.
"Yaare yaare, let's continue with this marriage first."
Roxue had watched the entire fight carefully. She had seen him use demonic qi, something he had never displayed before, something she had never taught him.
How did he do it? I never taught him. Is that also how he suppressed me earlier?
The system chimed in his mind.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Charm upgrade available. Cost: 800 Villain Points.
Proceed?
Fang Yuan smiled internally.
"Do it."
His body glowed with a soft, ethereal light. When the glow faded, something had shifted about him. He looked more refined, more attractive, more magnetic.
Women in the crowd suddenly stared at him with renewed interest, their eyes widening.
"Suddenly, doesn't he look more handsome?"
"Ahh, my heart is melting."
But then something unexpected happened. Some of the men in the crowd also started staring at him with interest.
"Is he in need of a male dual cultivator?"
"He seems goodlooking. Should I hire him as my personal servant?"
Fang Yuan felt a wave of awkwardness wash over him. He hadn't expected this.
"Yo, System, what are you doing? I didn't know charm applied to men too."
[SYSTEM RESPONSE]
Sorry, Host. Didn't realize it affected both genders.
"Do your job properly next time."
[SYSTEM RESPONSE]
Here, have gaslighting tickets as compensation.
Gaslighting - Whatever bullshit host says, people will take it as profound cultivation knowledge.
Hehe, I see the use now. This could be incredibly useful.
The Third Prince slowly regained consciousness, pushing himself up with trembling arms. He looked at Fang Yuan with confusion and anger.
"Why? Weren't you just some trash?"
Fang Yuan turned to him with a calm, knowing smile.
"Trash? Me? Indeed, I am trash."
His words seemed to carry weight and meaning. The crowd paused, their expressions shifting. They nodded thoughtfully, as if he had just spoken some profound wisdom about cultivation and destiny.