Beneath the ceremonial platform, Chen Jian stroked his beard, smiling warmly as he gazed at Ye Tian standing on stage.
For a moment, he felt immense relief.
He turned to Zhou Long beside him and said, "Our young master has finally started his own family!"
Zhou Long nodded slightly, his tone filled with emotion:
"From today onwards, the young master will no longer fight alone. I only hope he soon realizes that no matter how much wealth one accumulates, it's merely material possession.
Only by building a powerful force can one ensure longevity on the continent."
"If the young master won't think for himself, he should at least consider his descendants."
Upon hearing this, Chen Jian narrowed his eyes, chuckling as he said, "Scorpio Douluo, your thinking aligns with mine. On this continent, only the young master has the qualifications to shake the balance of power."
The two exchanged glances and then burst into hearty laughter.
Time flew by.
By evening, an unusual quietness enveloped the small farmhouse courtyard.
Even the hidden guards had been dismissed.
In the carefully decorated bridal chamber, Hu Liena sat upright on the bed covered with bright red blankets, her head concealed by a red veil.
The room wasn't illuminated by soul-power crystal lamps but instead was lit by the dim flicker of red candles.
With a creak, the door opened.
And with another creak, it shut tightly again.
This was followed by the sound of the lock clicking into place.
"Dear husband," Hu Liena called out shyly.
"My dear wife," Ye Tian responded cheerfully, walking to her side and sitting down.
"I'm about to lift it," Ye Tian teased.
"Mm," Hu Liena replied bashfully, nodding slightly.
Unlike Hu Liena's shy demeanor, Ye Tian's actions were swift and efficient.
In the candlelight, Hu Liena's cheeks were tinged with a rosy hue, making it hard to discern whether it was due to embarrassment.
Her gaze, however, was noticeably downcast.
"You're usually so lively. Why so shy today?" Ye Tian gently stroked Hu Liena's hair, laughing as he asked.
"Ugh," Hu Liena pouted slightly, lifting her eyes to glance at Ye Tian. The candlelight made her face even redder.
"Ah?" Ye Tian suddenly voiced his confusion.
"What's wrong?" Hu Liena asked curiously.
Ye Tian pointed to a small bow on the front of her wedding dress.
"How did I not notice this before?"
"There's something wrong with your wedding dress."
"Come on, take it off, and let's study it properly on the bed."
"Really?" Hu Liena looked down at the bow Ye Tian pointed out, her beautiful eyes filled with doubt.
She hadn't noticed anything wrong with it.
While she was puzzled, Ye Tian's hands were already on her back, untying the ribbons of her wedding dress.
The next moment, the dress slid off her shoulders.
Only then did Hu Liena realize something was amiss.
She buried her head into Ye Tian's chest, puffing her cheeks in protest, "You're so bad, big brother!"
The Next Day
The sun shone brightly.
A refreshed and energized Ye Tian stepped out of the courtyard, stretching lazily with a satisfied expression.
"Brother, don't forget to bring me breakfast," Hu Liena's voice called from inside the room.
Still tired, she wanted to sleep a little longer.
"No problem," Ye Tian replied with a light laugh.
After quickly finishing his own breakfast, he returned to the kitchen to pack a delicate meal box before heading back to the bedroom.
Inside, Hu Liena lay on the pillow, her golden hair spread out.
Her eyes were closed, and her fair shoulders peeked out from under the blanket.
"Get up and eat. The kitchen prepared this especially for us," Ye Tian said.
"After today, we'll be back to eating communal meals."
"I don't want to get up," Hu Liena muttered, still keeping her eyes shut.
Yet, her actions were remarkably honest.
Still with her eyes closed, she lifted the blanket, revealing her flawless figure.
Ye Tian, currently in a calm state, merely patted the table with the meal box.
"Eat by yourself. The Grand Worshiper said he wanted to discuss something important with me. I need to go."
"Oh."
Hu Liena finally opened her eyes, only to realize she hadn't put on any clothes.
Even though she was now Ye Tian's wife, she couldn't help but blush deeply. She hurriedly pulled the blanket over her chest, avoiding Ye Tian's gaze.
Seeing her reaction, Ye Tian smirked mischievously.
He leaned in close and planted a quick kiss on her cheek.
"You're just too adorable," he said with a grin.
Ye Tian met with Qian Daoliu in the farmhouse reception room.
When he arrived, both Qian Daoliu and Bibi Dong were already waiting for him.
"Haha, young people sure have a lot of energy," Qian Daoliu said, sipping tea and smiling at Ye Tian.
Unfazed, Ye Tian sat down across from him and replied, "I'm not as capable as you, Grand Worshiper, who can solve everything single-handedly."
Qian Daoliu paused slightly in his tea-drinking, his tone neutral as he commented:
"The tea is good, but the environment is lacking."
"My humble abode can't compare to the elegance of your Elder Hall," Ye Tian replied while pouring himself a cup of tea.
Qian Daoliu's tone remained steady. "I heard the policy adjustments was your idea?"
Given Qian Daoliu's capabilities, if he was asking, he had likely already investigated thoroughly.
There was no need for Ye Tian to hide the truth.
"That's correct," he answered plainly.
"Impressive," Qian Daoliu said with a hint of approval, though it only extended to Ye Tian's composure.
Narrowing his eyes, he continued, "You've got some nerve to meddle in the affairs of my Spirit Hall."
Bibi Dong's icy gaze sharpened as she interjected:
"This matter was my suggestion. Don't take your frustrations out on Xiao Tian. He isn't one of us, and you have no right to touch him!"
Qian Daoliu chuckled softly, not taking offense. To him, Bibi Dong's reaction was unwarranted.
It wasn't in his nature to target juniors. He was merely curious about the young man who had kept Bibi Dong tied to the coastal regions for four months.
Even Qian Renxue had praised him in her letters.
Now, meeting Ye Tian in person, Qian Daoliu found him composed yet not arrogantly so—a rarity among the younger generation.
Still, to Qian Daoliu, Ye Tian was ultimately just an inexperienced boy.
For someone so young to propose overhauling the Spirit Hall's administrative system was nothing short of ludicrous.
Spirit Hall had stood for nearly 10,000 years—longer than the two empires combined.
In the past century, its power had grown significantly, surpassing even the two empires.
This success was rooted in the stability of its administrative system, centered around soul master families.
To abandon such a proven structure for an untested policy was akin to digging Spirit Hall's own grave.
He would never let such a thing happen.
Qian Daoliu turned his gaze to Bibi Dong, his tone steady but firm:
"You are the Pope of Spirit Hall. No one knows its strength better than you.
How does our current strength compare to twenty years ago? Fifty years ago? A century ago?"
Bibi Dong replied without hesitation:
"Spirit Hall's power has steadily increased. Our top combat strength is 1.5 times that of twenty years ago, 2.3 times that of fifty years ago, and 3.1 times that of a century ago."
Hearing this, Qian Daoliu smiled and leaned back:
"I remember a hundred years ago, when I had just become a Super Douluo. Back then, Spirit Hall was merely equal to the Clear Sky Clan and couldn't rival either of the empires.
In just a century, four generations of Popes have worked tirelessly to change that.
Today, the Clear Sky Clan has gone into hiding, while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan cower under our shadow.
Among the two empires, who dares to challenge Spirit Hall?"
"And all of this is thanks to the stability of our administrative system!"
(End of Chapter)
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