This Palace of Sorcery unveiled the profound mysteries and perceived the subtle wonders of magic.

Within the Palace of Sorcery at this moment, lanterns were hung high, and every corner was adorned with seven-colored dust. Pretty serving girls moved through the crowds as if a flowing river weaving through flowers, presenting a variety of rare fruits and exotic beverages to the assembled guests at each table. These fruits included the Mystic Darkness Marvel Fruit, the Great Dao Law Fruit, the Seven-Colored Rainbow Fruit, and the Purple Dawn Fruit, among others. Each fruit possessed unique marvels.

Each table featured beautiful maidens, and for instance, consuming the Great Dao Law Fruit gave one the sensation of being exceedingly close to the Great Dao itself. The Seven-Colored Rainbow Fruit offered seven distinct tastes; upon the first bite, a chilling flavor would wash over you, followed by sweetness on the second, with the seven flavors successively cascading—a truly extraordinary aesthetic pleasure. As for the Purple Dawn Fruit, it was an exceedingly mild and mellow fruit, purified to the utmost degree, tasting exquisitely divine.

The most precious offering, without question, was a fruit reserved for the foremost tables. This fruit resembled a small doll; one might easily mistake it for a miniature human figure. However, those with insight gasped in unison, “This is… the Ginseng Fruit!” “The fruit that ripens only once every nine thousand years, the Ginseng Fruit!” Several knowledgeable individuals reacted instantly.

The beverages, too, were diverse. Take, for instance, Crystal Orange Juice, pressed from a unique variety of orange, making the resulting juice as beautiful as crystal and delivering an unparalleled taste upon drinking.

Then there was Platinum Apple Juice, squeezed from apples that shone with a white, golden sheen. This juice provided a sensation as if ice and fire had collided, an immediate feeling of icy heat enveloping the mouth.

The Wine Coconut was a naturally fermentable fruit that brewed its own liquor, a wine imbued with substantial spiritual energy beneficial for cultivation. Numerous other drinks were available, covering every conceivable preference.

And upon the various tables within the Palace of Sorcery sat many figures whose presence alone could shake the heavens and the earth.

For example, numerous Dignitaries from the Ancient Law Civilization were in attendance. The most conspicuous were naturally the Lord of the Ancient Law Civilization and the Cangyun Imperial Consort. Under normal circumstances, the Dream Lake Empress would preside, as she is the mistress of the Ancient Law Civilization, while the Cangyun Imperial Consort is merely a concubine. However, since it was the Imperial Consort Cangyun’s daughter being married off this time, she naturally took the leading role. Furthermore, the daughter marrying was the exceptional Yun Xiuxue, wed to Lu Yuan, whose potential was vast. The standing of Imperial Consort Cangyun within the Ancient Law Civilization was poised to rise considerably because of this union.

From the Martial Ancient Civilization, the Deputy Lord of the Martial Saint Civilization, the Deputy Lord of the Martial Bo Civilization, and the Deputy Lord of the Martial Yan Civilization had arrived—three Deputy Lords at once, clearly showing significant deference to the Ancient Law Civilization. The Deputy Lord of the Martial Saint Civilization was rumored to be a man whose foot was already halfway into the realm of Civilization Lords.

Fifteen other civilizations—Wind, Confucian, Medicine, Heavenly Mother, Holy Light, Umbrella, Dragon, Diagram, Ice, Fire, Night, Bird, Zither, Axe, and Artifact Civilizations—had each dispatched one Deputy Lord. Moreover, these were largely high-ranking Deputy Lords, not those of lower status, showing immense respect to both the Ancient Law Civilization and Lu Yuan. The Dragon Civilization, for instance, sent a Deputy Lord belonging to a particularly long-lived epoch. Since this was a wedding feast, many established Civilization figures had brought their families along.

Take the Fifth Table, a grand setting. Seated here were the consorts and female relatives from various civilizations, mostly kin accompanying the fifteen general civilizations, alongside the family members of the Martial Ancient Civilization. The hostess for this table was the Ardent Mistress Lanli, another Imperial Consort of the Ancient Law Civilization and a concubine to the Civilization Lord. Hosting guests at the Fifth Table was fitting for her role.

Women, in truth, could be categorized into two groups.

One: women in their youth.

Two: women in their prime.

Women in their youth were much like the twenty bridesmaids attending Yun Xiuxue. These bridesmaids were primarily concerned with which young man was the most handsome—figures like Lu Yuan, the Son of the Wasteland, Li Taishi, the Son of Martial Arts, the Son of Law, and other young luminaries competing on good looks. Some with more peculiar tastes even favored the tonsured Son of Buddha. Their discussions revolved around such superficialities. Basically, whoever could sell handsomeness, like the Son of the Wasteland; whoever could exude melancholy, like the frequently drinking Lu Yuan; whoever could project ruggedness, like the stubbled Son of Martial Arts; or whoever boasted delicate, sunny handsomeness, like the Son of Law—all were subject to comparison. Young women were romantic.

But women in their prime were not like this. The middle-aged women seated at the Fifth Table discussed topics such as which son had achieved prominence, reaching the pinnacle of the World Realm, or who had acquired an immensely powerful artifact—more tangible matters. Most women in their middle years were practical.

Because of this inherent practicality, once the women at the Fifth Table finished their other discussions, the conversation inevitably turned to the betrothal gifts.

“Lu Yuan originates from a minor sect like the Sword Gate; I doubt he can afford a substantial dowry.”

“Indeed. Though Lu Yuan is now a Civilization Realm expert, he has only risen rapidly. In terms of accumulated wealth, his reserves are likely quite modest. He probably cannot produce a large gift offering.” “A standard betrothal gift? Our Civilization-level requires ninety-nine items, whereas a typical Supreme Great Sect requires sixteen. Given Lu Yuan’s limited means, he’ll likely have to follow the customs of the Supreme Great Sects.” “That’s highly probable.” A woman from the Fire Civilization commented, “When my daughter, the Fire Cloud Imperial Daughter, was married, she received numerous gifts.” This comment carried a distinct air of boasting, as such displays were essential among middle-aged matrons. Imperial Consort Lanli could only sigh internally upon hearing the exchanges. Entertaining guests at this table was difficult, but unavoidable; comparing the value of the bride price was wildly popular in aristocratic circles, and ignoring it was impossible. If the Ancient Law Civilization were to gift Lu Yuan ninety-nine items first, only for him to present them as the bride price, the Civilization, being immensely wealthy, certainly wouldn't hesitate. But that path was unthinkable—it would bring shame. This world had its own set of rules. They could only hope Lu Yuan managed to gather enough substantial gifts; otherwise, it would cause a minor embarrassment within the elite circle.

The noblewomen’s circle was essentially this: apart from a select few dedicated to cultivation, most spent their time comparing one thing or another. In reality, the circle of Imperial Consorts was remarkably tedious. Despite their grand titles, they occupied a rather dull existence.

Of course, this applied to the majority; occasional exceptions existed.

Naturally, only the Fifth Table concerned itself with such matters. The guests at the First and Second Tables were figures of great weight in the cosmos, engaged in discussions of momentous issues. Each group had its own circle and its own form of entertainment. Since this was the bride’s side, the two elders of the Lu family had not appeared; they would only present themselves at the groom’s ceremony.

Marriage, after all, involved separate celebrations hosted by both sides.

At the bride's event, the groom must present the betrothal gifts and endure the antics of the bridesmaids.

At the groom's event, the bride presents her dowry and suffers through the traditional bed-teasing rituals.

The bride’s procession, Yun Xiuxue, finally appeared, her face obscured by the Phoenix Crown and embroidered robes. Behind her trailed twenty bridesmaids, each with a unique charm. The groom, Lu Yuan, had also made his entrance. Lu Yuan had changed into a crisp, azure robe, and his habitually relaxed hair was neatly bound with an air of vigor. His Yang Nurturing Divine Sword, normally never parted from his side, had been temporarily stored within his New Sword World. Lu Yuan had invited several groomsmen: old friends from Mount Hua like Ye Fang and Ye Yuan; close companions met during the Central Celestial Dynasty assessment, such as Xiao Fengxiong; and newer friends like the Son of Martial Arts and the Son of Law. Lu Yuan’s principle was simple: if you are a friend, you are a friend. Ye Fang and Ye Yuan were perhaps the most astonished, as this was their first visit to the Central Celestial Dynasty, allowing them to witness its magnificent scale. Both Ye Fang and Ye Yuan had now cultivated to the Chaos Boundary Realm.

Two individuals invited had not yet arrived. Zhou Qingxuan’s reply to Lu Yuan’s invitation read: A solitary man does not disturb a joyous feast. Zhou Qingxuan clearly preferred not to attend such an atmosphere, yet to celebrate Lu Yuan’s marriage, he recorded a rendition of The Phoenix Seeks His Mate played on his Erhu onto a magnetic stone. Though musically joyous, the sorrowful desolation inherent in his performance remained unchanged.

Yan Cangtian’s reply stated: Wait until I slay that Deputy Lord of the Evil Sword Civilization! Yan Cangtian rarely suffered defeat; his loss to the Evil Sword Deputy Lord was a profound humiliation he constantly sought to avenge.

Upon entering, Lu Yuan stood beside Yun Xiuxue, whose features remained hidden.

Next was the ritualistic presentation of the betrothal gifts, which, according to the customs of the Central Celestial Dynasty, had to be announced aloud.

The Master of Ceremonies cleared his throat to announce: “The betrothal gifts presented by Lu Yuan total nine items.”

Nine items! The announcement caused the entire hall to freeze.

Nine items! This was grossly negligent of custom!

A standard Supreme Great Sect required sixteen items, while an average civilization demanded ninety-nine. Some particularly esteemed unions received two hundred gifts. Yet, Lu Yuan offered a mere nine.

Nine compared to ninety-nine!

This! This! This! It was far too little!

What was Lu Yuan thinking, presenting such a paltry offering?

By rights, even if Lu Yuan were poor, a peak World Realm expert should still be able to afford dozens of gifts; nine was simply inexplicable.

What was happening here?