Every servant and disciple of the Myriad Ghost Cave was mobilized to participate in this wedding celebration. While disciples of the Myriad Ghost Cave had certainly married and taken wives before, none had been as grand as the union of Lei Dong and Ding Wanyan. Firstly, Lei Dong insisted on making this marriage a high-profile affair. Secondly, it was intrinsically tied to the high status both he and Ding Wanyan commanded within the Myriad Ghost Cave, and indeed, the entire Yin Fiend Sect.

Especially Lei Dong; after the battle in the Heart Devil Palace, his reputation had soared, establishing him as a rising prodigy whose brilliance rivaled that of the Yin Fiend Twin Heroes. Following his fight with Huangfu Ce, many within the Yin Fiend Sect believed he had even surpassed them. And the wife he was marrying was one half of that very pair. The marriage of such two figures naturally drew the attention of the other Seven Great Sects, who dispatched envoys to observe.

Lei Dong was forced into a full suit of bright scarlet, auspicious groom’s attire, putting on a beaming smile as he greeted the Foundation Establishment guests outside. As for the figures at the Golden Core Ancestor level, naturally, his Master, the Myriad Ghost Ancestor, would step forward to receive and entertain them. Watching the Myriad Ghost Ancestor, in a rare display, shed his black robes for a spirited and refreshed appearance, pulling a smile alongside Lei Dong to welcome the guests, a surge of warmth filled Lei Dong’s heart. Honestly, his Master treated him impeccably.

Aside from keeping his greatest secret hidden from everyone, Lei Dong regarded his Master as both a teacher and a father figure, wholeheartedly. As he himself often said, being able to join the Myriad Ghost Cave was Lei Dong’s great fortune. All his Foundation Establishment sworn brothers and sisters also wore matching attire, busying themselves helping Lei Dong with the preparations.

As the expected guests gradually arrived—some ancestors came directly, others sent representatives—even the hostile Skull Peak and Ghost Fiend Manor sent Foundation Establishment delegates. Such was the nature of the Yin Fiend Sect; internal strife and enmity might exist between the various peaks and manors, but when facing external matters, they adhered to long-established conventions.

As for the Heavenly Demon Palace, Yang Mu did not attend but sent Dongfang Fu as their representative to offer congratulations. The value of the congratulatory gift she brought ranked first among all the peaks and manors, clearly displaying the bearing of the Heavenly Demon Palace’s leader. The Heavenly Demon, whom Lei Dong had worried about for days, was nowhere to be seen. Lei Dong always felt that while she overtly focused only on any supposed involvement between him and Qi Feifei, she remained completely silent regarding him and his Senior Sister, creating the deceptive impression that she felt helpless because Lei Dong and Ding Wanyan had become involved before her.

Yet, Lei Dong instinctively felt that given her domineering and erratic temperament, something disruptive was likely to occur at his wedding banquet. However, Lei Dong truly had no recourse against the Heavenly Demon; never mind him, even his own Master was helpless against her. Could it be that her fists were simply larger and her arm stronger? In this world, power has always been the ultimate law.

Under the master of ceremonies' guidance, Lei Dong began the rituals of bowing to Heaven and Earth, and to his parents. Of course, in this ceremony, the second bow was first dedicated to his Master. Who could argue, given how immensely powerful the old man was? But paying respects to him was not without its rewards; Lei Dong and Ding Wanyan each received a high-grade spirit stone.

This was the first time in Lei Dong’s life he had encountered something as miraculous as a high-grade spirit stone. These objects were immensely valuable; typically, a single high-grade spirit stone was worth around a million low-grade spiritual stones. Even wealthy Golden Core cultivators were reluctant to use them for cultivation. After all, high-grade spirit stones were becoming increasingly rare in this world, often proving difficult to purchase even with a million spiritual stones.

If not for the wedding ceremony itself, Lei Dong would have had the urge to take one out and scrutinize it thoroughly. Following that, Lei Dong bowed to his own parents. As for Senior Sister’s family, Lei Dong only learned the truth recently. It turned out they were the ruling Prince and Princess of a mortal nation called the Great Ding Kingdom, situated within the Yin Fiend Sect’s sphere of influence. This left Lei Dong rather speechless; Senior Sister had never mentioned it, nor had he proactively asked her. He never expected his Senior Sister to possess such distinguished origins in the mortal realm.

Naturally, no matter how mighty an emperor of a mortal nation, their status paled in comparison to the sheer prestige of the Myriad Ghost Ancestor in this world. Therefore, their absence was inconsequential; everything was managed appropriately by the Myriad Ghost Ancestor. However, Lei Dong and Ding Wanyan had already agreed that after some time, they would visit the Great Ding Kingdom together and stay a few days at her ancestral princely manor. Lei Dong readily agreed; after all, his childhood dream had always been to be a great general sweeping across the land to become an emperor. Now, being able to conveniently experience the splendor of the secular world sounded like an interesting diversion.

It wasn't until the final mutual bow between husband and wife, completing the rites, that the tension in Lei Dong’s chest truly eased. Having read too many novels in his past life, he always felt that a wedding between the male and female protagonists felt incomplete without some sort of incident occurring. He felt a vague sense of gratitude toward the Heavenly Demon as well, at least she hadn't chosen that moment to disrupt things for him.

Ding Wanyan, clad in her magnificent red robes, was escorted into the bridal chamber, while Lei Dong remained behind to toast the guests.

Fortunately, the constitutions of cultivators are astonishingly resilient; a mere amount of alcohol was unlikely to fell him. Following custom, after indulging in a boisterous feast accompanied by a group of sworn brothers, the exhausting wedding process finally concluded. Lei Dong practically fled toward the cave dwelling that housed their bridal chamber. His brothers were simply too enthusiastic, especially the scoundrels like Li Huntian who had somehow procured an immortal brew specifically potent against the constitutions of cultivators. A few cups down, Lei Dong’s face was flushed scarlet, and his head swam. Even transforming the alcohol with true qi proved useless. Furthermore, faced with Qi Feifei’s resentful expression, which seemed poised to cling to him as if to replace the bride, Lei Dong dared not linger. Returning to the bridal chamber quickly and properly was the only way.

The thought of the bridal night, of the nuptial candles, immediately fired up Lei Dong’s blood, and his steps became light with overwhelming joy. The new marital residence of Lei Dong and Ding Wanyan was a prime spiritual location, formerly the Myriad Ghost Ancestor’s personal villa and courtyard. It was situated in one of the most scenic spots on Myriad Ghost Mountain, though the old man had only occasionally stayed there in the early days after its construction, leaving it vacant ever since.

It was perfectly suited to be their new home.

However, that residence was somewhat secluded. Even exerting his full speed, Lei Dong would require the time it took for half an incense stick to burn. He launched himself forward, soaring through the air with movements both elegant and spectral, his figure nearly indistinguishable in the deep night. Only a faint trace of scarlet could be perceived.

But only halfway to his destination, still nestled in the mid-mountain hollow, Lei Dong suddenly felt a chilling sensation wash over him. Simultaneously, a soft sigh drifted down from a peak composed of phosphorescent rock.

Lei Dong immediately halted, hovering suspended in mid-air, and shouted in a low voice, "Who goes there?" Simultaneously, his heart tensed. Although the intoxicating effect of Li Huntian’s immortal brew had left him slightly fuzzy, it hadn't degraded his spirit to the point of not noticing an enemy approaching. The only explanation was that the newcomer’s strength far surpassed his own.

"It's me—" A voice, slightly deeper, laced with allure and huskiness, responded. The Heavenly Demon materialized in the night sky, draped in a long black robe, her presence cold. Seeing that it was her, Lei Dong felt a wave of relief mixed with sudden tension.

Relief, because it wasn't an enemy. Tension, because he almost wished it was an enemy right now. He let out a dry laugh, saying, "My Lord Heavenly Demon, why have you come here?"

"If you dare call me 'My Lord Heavenly Demon' again, you won't be leaving here today," the Heavenly Demon's voice sounded vaguely angry.

Lei Dong looked bewildered, pulling a wry face, "Then what should I call you?"

The Heavenly Demon suddenly fell silent, hesitating and pondering for a long moment before softly stating, "My surname is Mu, and my given name is Yanmei."

Mu Yanmei? This was the first time Lei Dong had ever heard this name in his life. Even when she spoke it, there was a sense of unfamiliarity, as if she hadn't used the name for ages, perhaps even forgetting her own name. Lei Dong managed another awkward smile, "Ah, alright then, Mu Yanmei."

Mu Yanmei raised an eyebrow, and black demonic energy surged, causing her long hair to flutter, her voice sharp with cold anger, "Lei Dong, are you deliberately trying to annoy me?"

Under normal circumstances, Lei Dong might have stood his ground against her. But now, his wife was waiting anxiously in the bridal chamber. If she detained him here for the entire night, how would he explain it when he returned? Out of necessity, he rubbed his nose and forced a bitter smile, "Then, alright, Yan—Yanmei."

"You sound so strained. Is my name really that unpleasant?" Mu Yanmei scoffed coldly.

Lei Dong felt a spark of anger building, struggling to contain it. He retorted angrily, "Mu Yanmei, I suspect you've come looking for trouble today! I called you by name, what more do you want?"

"I don't care. In any case, I am very unhappy today," Mu Yanmei stared at Lei Dong with icy eyes. "If I'm unhappy, you won't be happy either."

"So you really did come here to cause trouble," Lei Dong’s drunkenness amplified his anger. "Mu Jianmei, don't push your luck! When I met you, Senior Sister and I were already pledged. Don't think I'm some lump of clay you can mold however you please. If you push me too far, don't blame me for throwing my life away!"

Mu Yanmei’s expression paused slightly. Whether it was Lei Dong's threat that had an effect, she offered no further words.

After a long silence, Lei Dong remembered that she had, at least before his decisive battle, spent considerable effort preparing certain combat artifacts for him. Regardless of everything else, Lei Dong felt a measure of gratitude. Considering things from her perspective, he supposed her mood today must indeed be terrible. Remembering some scenes he’d read in novels from his previous life, he proactively stepped forward and softened his voice to console her, "Well, Yanmei, I know this is my fault."

Indeed, the anger in her eyes subsided somewhat. Lei Dong felt a secret surge of joy—it worked. However, before he could enact the next part of his soothing strategy, she suddenly enveloped him in a swirl of black mist, her breathing growing heavy. "In any case, I’m extremely displeased today. Even if there’s going to be a wedding night, it has to be before hers."

Damn it, what kind of situation was this? Lei Dong felt dizzy hearing that, and a soft, boneless hand violently ripped apart his clothes.