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Within the Wu Clan Estate
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For the first time since its founding, the Wu Clan estate felt bustling. Red lanterns hung in the halls, feast tables were being prepared and a large red set of robes sat ready.
The kitchens were filled, the servants were sweeping, and the branch members of the Jiang Clan had been tasked with inviting important members of the village.
Wu Tianmo would have preferred this to be a small affair, yet he had to show his respect for the other leaders of the village.
He made sure invites were sent to the Zhang, Liu, and Chen clans.
However he didn't expect their patriarchs to attend personally, it was just a marriage to a mortal clan after all.
He also sent an invite to the Flying Carp Merchant Group leader, Jiang Ronghai, and left the remaining invites to the Jiang Clan's discretion.
The members of the Jiang family had decided to pay for everything, the food, wine, and decorations.
The whole affair.
They even filled the main halls of the Wu Clan with various mortal objects such as expensive vases, calligraphy, and other decorative objects.
There were two reasons they did this, first was because they were grateful the wedding was still being completed with an influential figure of Heimu.
Second, because Jiang Fushui's daughter was not only getting married to a Patriarch, but a cultivator!
They also were paying for a simpler reason.
Wu Tianmo had no money.
He was a man who had been living on fasting pills for months with his sole focus on cultivation.
There were two things important to Wu Tianmo, rebuilding his Wu Clan and cultivating longevity.
Today was the first step in accomplishing one of his goals, he could marry Ling'er and consummate their marriage.
Within the year, Wu Tianmo expected a heir to be born and the Wu Clan to have some life breathed back into it.
This marriage was of necessity more so than love, Ling'er was objectively beautiful.
However, Wu Tianmo had a hard time feeling extreme feelings such as love, for mortals.
They were all human but cultivators lived a very long time, and mortals did not.
Breaking through the major realms caused qualitative changes to the cultivators in strength and longevity.
A Body Reforging Cultivator, if cultivated to its peak, could live 150 years.
Double the lifespan of average mortals.
A Meridian Opening Cultivator could live up to 450 years.
A Core Forming Cultivator?
Over 1,200 years!
If one had the talent, they would see the world change hands a multitude of times.
Wu Tianmo had talent and Ling'er unfortunately...
Had no spirit roots to cultivate.
Mortals barely lived for 75 years and Ling'er was already 18.
To feel love for someone who couldn't walk the same path as you, is torture for the mind and could lead to heart demons.
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Sun Began to Set over the Wu Clan Estate
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The wedding had started!
The guests began to arrive and were entertained by the few members of the Jiang Clan that remained.
The first was to arrive was Liu Changfeng, accompanying him were two young cultivators.
The herald declared,
"The Liu Clan of Heimu Village! Patriarch Liu Changfeng, accompanied by Young Master Liu Qingyuan and Miss Liu Qinglan, arrives to congratulate Patriarch Wu on his joyous union."
The Liu clan was one of the earliest to support Wu Tianmo, and therefore were allotted seats closest to the head of the Wu Clan.
All three of them sat down at a large table with wine and a light dish prepared.
The Liu Clan members were all dressed in deep blue robes embroidered with silver thread, giving them a refined and scholarly appearance. Their robes were wide-sleeved and elegant, and carried the faint scent of various alchemical herbs. On the chest of the Liu Clan's pseudo young master was a badge, that of a 1st level alchemist.
The badge was a small bronze alchemy furnace with one star, yet there was room for two more stars on the badge. This indicated that he was an initial level one star alchemist.
In a village the size of Heimu, he was to be treated with a higher level of respect, slightly lower than a Patriarch.
Shortly after the herald once again declared,
"The Chen Clan of Heimu Village! Grand Elder Chen Baosheng, accompanied by Young Master Chen Jinshi, arrives to congratulate Patriarch Wu Tianmo on his joyous union!"
They were seated next to the Liu Clan but farther back in the great hall, this caused the Chen Clan young master to be displeased.
The Chen clan members were wearing dark green robes reinforced with sturdy leather belts and tool pouches. Their members were more suited to craftsmen than warriors. Their members often carried the smell of pungent oils.
Thankfully for this event, they bathed prior.
A half hour went by until the herald declared,
"The Flying Carp Merchant Association! Merchant Leader Jiang Ronghai arrives to congratulate Patriarch Wu Tianmo on his joyous union!"
The hall had many tables set, both parallel to one another on opposite sides of the main walkway. Jiang Ronghai was seated on the other side of the main hall, in equivalent status to the Chen Clan.
His emotions about his placement were well hidden behind a fake smile, this man was hard to read and impossible to predict.
He sat alone at his table and immediately started to consume his wine.
He wore a fine gray silk robe, embroidered with a white flying carp. He smelled of the river, and his hair was long and flowing. He placed his closed fan on the table, which was covered in gold and silver.
Right after the herald announced a few minor clans within the village, a few of the mortal clans that the Jiang Clan had dealings with. Their Patriarchs all arrived but sat far away from the primary seating.
This was the status of mortals, they were fortunate to even be invited to a cultivators affairs.
Regardless of position, they were all in joyous moods and would speak of this event in reverence for generations to come.
They were attending a cultivators wedding after all!
The ceremony was about to begin when the herald spoke one last time,
"The Zhang Clan of Heimu Village! Clan Elder Zhang Guolin, accompanied by Miss Zhang Mingyu, arrives to congratulate Patriarch Wu Tianmo on his joyous union!"
The Zhang clan wore golden robes trimmed with black, the heavier fabric was embroidered with crossed black sabers. Their garments were tailored more like martial uniforms than ceremonial dress.
As they walked by the rest of the guests they took their seats at the table equivalent to the Liu Clan, their golden robes catching the light causing everyone to gaze in their direction.
While not voiced, all those in attendance quietly recalled the recent events between the Zhang and Wu.
Any attendance at all signaled that the clans were on amicable terms and their seat placement showed that they were respected by the Wu Patriarch.
The herald joyously yelled,
"Let the ceremony of Heaven and Earth begin!"