This was the grandest wedding the Earth Alliance had ever witnessed since its inception, with every detail meticulously following human customs. The Lords of Destruction, Fear, and Greed naturally served as the officiants and patriarchs, seated at the very front of the square, joined by all the major City Lords of the Earth Alliance, including Ye Jingyu.

He sat beside Mu, a look of sheer delight fixed on his face, as if genuinely happy for Yuan and Ling's union. As the most favored figure under Yuan, such an expression was entirely expected.

Mu, next to him, was equally cheerful, occasionally leaning over to exchange a few words with Ye Jingyu. Perhaps influenced by drink, he even confided in Ye Jingyu about Yuan’s deep affection for Ling over the years. Ye Jingyu responded with effusive admiration, showering praise upon Lord Yuan’s unwavering devotion. In short, his demeanor was one of utter composure, suggesting he wholeheartedly approved of the ceremony.

This outward calm did not escape the notice of Destruction and the others seated ahead. Seeing Ye Jingyu so collected, looks of astonishment crossed their faces. Could the person they were expecting not be him?

At that moment, Yuan arrived leading Ling by a red cord, presenting her before the Lord of Destruction. Ling was clad in a magnificent crimson wedding gown, adorned with a phoenix coronet, and veiled by a heavy red cloth. Whatever her true feelings, the slight awkwardness in her steps hinted at nervousness, perhaps mixed with anticipation.

The gaze of the Lord of Destruction drifted back to Ye Jingyu, only to find Ye Jingyu looking back and offering a respectful, albeit indifferent, salute. Ye Jingyu showed no sign of concern, as if he truly had no connection to Ling.

Was he truly not the one? Just a traitor from the Heavenly Alliance? If he were the one they sought, why such a complete lack of reaction?

Or perhaps, he was merely maintaining a façade, knowing that they could never truly allow Ling to marry Yuan? Very well, if he possessed such self-control, did the Lord of Destruction believe he would be outmaneuvered?

Seeing that Ye Jingyu showed absolutely no sign of urgency, the Lord of Destruction dismissed further deliberation.

Standing beside the Lord of Destruction, the warrior Wu stepped forward to act as the celebrant. After all, reciting the vows was beneath the dignity of the Lord of Destruction. Wu possessed exquisite grace, though a veil obscured her features. Yet, her voice was like that of the heavens; even Ye Jingyu found himself curious to see her face.

Under Wu’s celestial voice, amidst the cheerful din of the crowd, the wedding proceeded orderly until the final ritual of bowing to each other as husband and wife—at which point, the usually silent Ling abruptly stopped.

Seeing Ling halt, everyone present was momentarily stunned. What was she planning at this critical juncture?

Wu turned to look toward the Lord of Destruction; if Princess Ling deviated from protocol, Wu was powerless to intervene.

"Ling, what is wrong?" Yuan was the first to speak. He understood that in Ling's heart, he was merely an elder brother figure, and the sudden transition to husband might be difficult for her to accept. Still, he believed that once they were married, she would eventually come to love him. His greatest fear was any disruption during the proceedings. The fact that everything had gone smoothly until this sudden pause made him anxious.

"I cannot marry you!" With that declaration, Ling suddenly tore the veil from her head, revealing her lovely features.

The sight of the bride removing her own veil, coupled with her words, caused a collective gasp among the attendees. Following the initial shock, a spectrum of expressions flickered across the faces of the demons—some wore smug satisfaction, eager for drama; others were utterly astonished that Princess Ling would refuse now; and still others looked toward the Lord of Destruction, awaiting his judgment.

The smile on Yuan’s face froze instantly. He could not comprehend why Ling would object at this stage. He had personally inquired earlier; while she hadn't been overly enthusiastic, she hadn't objected either.

"For what reason?" the Lord of Destruction finally spoke, but not before glancing toward Ye Jingyu in the distance. Seeing Ye Jingyu also wearing an expression of surprise, his own confusion deepened. Could Ye Jingyu truly not be the person they sought?

At the Lord of Destruction’s command, every eye in the assembly snapped toward Ling, eager to hear the Princess's explanation.

Ling appeared utterly unfazed by the multitude of gazes or the authoritative tone of the Lord of Destruction. She turned her head and gave the Lord of Destruction a wide, toothy grin.

The Lord of Destruction was taken aback; Ling had never smiled like that before. Before he could fully process it, two fangs pierced through her lips. Her once round cheeks elongated into a pointed snout, and patches of golden fur sprouted across her face.

"Because Old Sun is a man!" Sun Wukong roared with laughter, then abruptly pulled out his Ruyi Jingu Bang and brought it down in a ferocious strike aimed directly at the Lord of Destruction.

The crowd saw only a flash of golden light, followed instantly by a massive golden staff appearing above the Lord of Destruction’s head. The very fabric of the void began to fracture under the impact of that single blow...

Everyone—Yuan, the three great Lords, even the other City Lords—was stunned by this turn of events. The beautiful bride had suddenly transformed into a sharp-snouted monkey. How was this possible?

Especially for the three Lords. They had already taken that final step in their cultivation, shaking off the shackles of the Heavenly Dao. While they might not compare to the grand chess players like the Three Pure Ones, they were certainly no longer mere pawns on the board. Logically, no illusion under the Heavenly Dao should have been able to deceive them. Yet, here was this reality.

Their focus had been entirely fixed on Ye Jingyu. They assumed any upheaval would originate from him, yet they never expected that Ling, whom they had nurtured for years, would suddenly turn into a monkey...

They failed to realize that Sun Wukong had already stepped beyond that boundary, unbound by the rules of the Heavenly Dao, already standing as an observer of the game—and, should he choose, qualified to be one of the players. How could the three Lords possibly see through his Seventy-Two Transformations?

Facing the blow that shattered the void, the Lord of Destruction even forgot to dodge...

(One more chapter coming soon!) D