Chapter 536: Wedding Gifts

On this day, the City Lord's Mansion was decorated with lanterns and colored banners, brimming with joy and festivity.

Under Ren Xingchun's domineering personality, the mansion had always been lifeless and oppressive, with no one daring to speak loudly.

It had been years since the mansion had seen such liveliness.

A stream of people flowed before the mansion's gates, with onlookers and gift-bearers nearly blocking the entire street.

“The City Lord actually issued a confession of guilt—this is unprecedented!”

“Indeed, the City Lord rules like a sovereign and has always been extremely forceful. For him to issue a confession of guilt for his daughter and son-in-law is truly astonishing!”

“Hey, you don’t know yet? The City Lord issued the confession not for his daughter and son-in-law, but for his grandson! Look, that young man greeting guests at the door!”

“How do you know?”

“My brother-in-law’s sister-in-law’s third aunt works as a maid in the mansion—this news has long spread inside! The City Lord’s grandson is incredibly formidable. I heard he nearly toppled the Cao family’s Thousand Question Wall last time! With this grandson, the Ren family will grow even stronger!”

Walls have ears, and besides, Ren Xingchun didn’t intend to suppress these rumors this time, so they slowly circulated through the mansion.

Moreover, if Ye Yuan’s fame spread far and wide, it would only benefit the City Lord’s Mansion.

Today, Ye Yuan took the initiative to join Xu Zihui in welcoming guests.

Since his father and mother were getting married, as their son, he naturally had to be at their service.

“The Alchemist Guild, Elder Wu Xuan has arrived!”

Before the words faded, Wu Xuan greeted Ye Yuan with a loud laugh: “Brother Ye, congratulations!”

“Haha, you’ve come quite early, old brother! Please, come inside and sit!” Ye Yuan laughed in return.

“No rush to sit, no rush! Brother, today is your father’s joyous occasion, and I can’t skimp on the gift! But this gift of mine is merely borrowing flowers to offer to the Buddha—I hope you won’t take offense.” Wu Xuan laughed heartily.

Ye Yuan waved his hand and said, “Old brother, what are you saying? Your presence alone is a great honor; how could I dare take offense?”

“Haha, that’s good! Brother, remove all the wine from the head table and replace it with mine!” Wu Xuan said with a mysterious smile.

Ye Yuan’s eyes lit up. Could this old man have brewed the Immortal Inscription Jade Brew so quickly?

Seeing Ye Yuan’s expression, Wu Xuan knew he had guessed it. Without further suspense, he waved his hand and said, “Men, carry all the wine inside!”

A group of porters carrying loads emerged from the crowd. Ye Yuan swept his gaze over them—there were as many as twenty barrels!

Twenty barrels of wine were nothing, but twenty barrels of Immortal Inscription Jade Brew would shake all of Wufang City!

The barrels were all made of southern fragrant wood and sealed tightly, yet their fragrance permeated the air, intoxicating a crowd of onlookers.

“What wine is this? So fragrant!”

“It smells this good even unopened. If I could taste a sip, I’d die content!”

“Hey, how ignorant! From the aroma, this must be the legendary Immortal Inscription Jade Brew of Alchemy Emperor Fu Yunjing! I once caught a whiff from dozens of yards away, and it lingered in my memory for days!”

“Immortal Inscription Jade Brew! My heavens! Isn’t that the treasured wine of Alchemy Emperor Fu Yunjing? How did so much appear at once? And… why is it sent by Master Wu Xuan?”

“Who knows! And the aroma seems even richer than last time—the quality of this brew might surpass even that of Alchemy Emperor Guo Yunjing’s!”

The twenty barrels of Immortal Inscription Jade Brew immediately caused an uproar among the onlookers.

Immortal Inscription Jade Brew was famous throughout Wufang City, but many had only heard of it without seeing it. To catch a distant whiff of its fragrance was already a stroke of great fortune.

Today, Wu Xuan had produced twenty barrels at once—truly staggering.

Many martial artists drooled with envy, jealous of those who would get to taste the wine at the banquet.

Seeing this, Ye Yuan couldn’t help but laugh: “Old brother, what a generous gesture! Alright, I’ll accept it. Thank you, old brother!”

“Haha, between us, what’s there to thank? Besides, I’m just borrowing flowers to offer to the Buddha—I only provided the materials! Oh, and I have another gift, from the Guild Leader. He’s currently in seclusion refining pills, so he couldn’t come in person, but he insisted I convey his gratitude!”

Wu Xuan took out a long sword, radiating chilling cold.

Even the onlooking martial artists, dozens of yards away, could feel the biting cold, and this was without Wu Xuan channeling any primal energy.

Ye Yuan took the sword from Wu Xuan and praised, “A fine sword!”

Wu Xuan smiled: “This sword is called the Xuan Ying Sword, a low-grade Xuan artifact.”

Ye Yuan nodded and cupped his hands: “Old brother, please thank the Guild Leader on my behalf when you return!”

Though nominally a gift for Ye Hang and his wife, Danchenzi’s present was actually prepared for Ye Yuan.

Xuan artifacts and spirit artifacts were entirely different concepts.

No matter how expensive a spirit artifact, it could be bought on the market with primal crystals, but Xuan artifacts had no market price. Even with abundant primal crystals, it was hard to purchase one from a merchant.

Xuan artifacts were essentially weapons for Divine Travel Realm experts, extremely rare in the Boundless Realm.

Danchenzi’s gift of a low-grade Xuan artifact was indeed generous.

However, Ye Yuan felt no psychological burden, for he had helped Danchenzi complete the Dragon Tiger Soul-Strengthening Pill!

Others might not know the value of that pill, but how could Ye Yuan not?

Accepting a Xuan artifact was already a loss on his part.

Still, Danchenzi’s thoughtfulness in sending a gift showed he had a good heart.

Moreover, as Ye Yuan’s strength grew, the Canghua Sword had gradually become inadequate. Its quality had reached its limit, and adding more restrictions risked shattering it.

Though he couldn’t yet unleash the full power of the Xuan Ying Sword, it was far superior to the Canghua Sword.

This was Ye Yuan; any other Sea Transformation Realm martial artist could only use high-grade spirit artifacts.

But Ye Yuan’s martial techniques were too extraordinary, and ordinary spirit artifacts couldn’t bring out the true power of his sword moves.

Ye Yuan exchanged pleasantries with Wu Xuan, who then entered to take his seat.

Before long, a servant announced again: “The Cao family head has arrived!”

Cao Zheng’s expression was somewhat gloomy. Seeing Ye Yuan, he forced a smile and congratulated him: “Brother Ye, congratulations!”

A guest was a guest, and Ye Yuan wouldn’t slap a smiling face. He replied with a smile, “Thank you.”

Ye Yuan knew Cao Zheng had been having a rough time lately, but he didn’t care much.

Since Ren Xingchun was his convenient grandfather, Ye Yuan naturally sided with the Ren family. As for what happened to the Cao family, he didn’t concern himself.

Still, Ye Yuan knew Cao Zheng wouldn’t come empty-handed today; he had to offer something.

Sure enough, Cao Zheng pulled a slip of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Ye Yuan, saying, “I’ve prepared a modest gift; I hope Brother Ye will accept it.”

Ye Yuan took the slip and was momentarily stunned.