The sound of drums rose once more.
Slow.
Heavy.
Ceremonial.
Yet the wedding hall no longer carried the warmth of celebration.
Instead, it felt like a battlefield.
Every elder, every clan head, and every guest from Azure Cloud City watched the centre of the hall with sharp, measuring eyes.
A single wrong word tonight could turn a marriage alliance into a clan war.
Lin Tianyu stood beneath the crimson lanterns, his spine straight as a spear.
The blood on the back of his robes had yet to dry, but the oppressive aura of a Nascent Soul patriarch had already returned to the hall like a storm pressing against everyone's chests.
His gaze shifted toward the golden system panel floating before his eyes.
[Main Mission]: Stabilise the wedding and complete the alliance
[Time Remaining]: 1 hour
[Reward]: Heaven-grade Spirit Pill x1
[Bonus Reward]: Random Skill Chest x1
[Failure]: Clan prestige -50, Mu Clan hostility, Fate instability
Lin Tianyu narrowed his eyes.
Failure means immediate enmity with the Mu Clan.
The original owner's memories rose again.
The Lin Clan had only recently recovered from a devastating beast tide. Their spiritual mines had been depleted, and several elders were still in secluded recovery.
The Mu Clan alliance was not merely a marriage.
It was survival.
If this broke tonight, the Lin Clan's enemies would swarm like wolves.
He slowly turned his gaze toward his son.
Lin Hao was still kneeling on the cold jade floor, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.
There was stubbornness in his eyes.
But now there was fear too.
"Stand up."
Lin Tianyu's voice was calm.
Lin Hao slowly rose.
His lips moved, but no words came out.
The hall fell silent again.
Lin Tianyu looked directly into his son's eyes.
"You wish to pursue the Dao?"
Lin Hao swallowed hard, then nodded.
"Yes, Father."
"Then tell me," Lin Tianyu said, his tone suddenly sharp, "what is the first lesson of cultivation?"
Lin Hao froze.
The question was too sudden.
One of the Lin elders frowned slightly.
A few younger guests exchanged confused looks.
Lin Tianyu took one step forward.
The pressure in the hall increased.
"Power?"
He shook his head.
"No."
"Talent?"
Again, he shook his head.
"A true cultivator first learns responsibility."
His voice echoed like thunder through the hall.
"The Dao is not an escape from duty."
"It is the path taken by those strong enough to shoulder it."
Lin Hao's pupils trembled.
The words struck deeper than the slap from before.
Lin Tianyu's voice softened, but only slightly.
"You seek immortality, yet you cannot even face the responsibility of your own clan."
The wedding guests began whispering.
Some nodded in approval.
Even a few Mu Clan elders exchanged impressed glances.
Lin Hao lowered his head.
For the first time, the arrogance in him began to crack.
But Lin Tianyu knew words alone were not enough.
He had to seal this publicly.
He turned toward the Mu Clan patriarch, Mu Zhentian.
The old man sat tall in a frost-blue robe, his eyes sharp as ice.
"Brother Mu," Lin Tianyu said with dignity, "tonight's incident is an insult to your clan and to your daughter."
The hall went silent again.
Everyone knew what was coming next.
Lin Tianyu cupped his fists.
"The Lin Clan takes full responsibility."
Shock flashed across countless faces.
A patriarch lowering himself publicly?
This was no small matter.
Mu Zhentian's expression softened slightly.
But before he could speak, a cold voice rang out.
"And what of my daughter's dignity?"
All eyes turned.
Mu Xue'er had stepped forward.
The red bridal veil had already been lifted.
Her silver hair flowed over her shoulders like moonlit silk, and her blue eyes carried an icy calm.
5
The entire hall held its breath.
Lin Tianyu looked at her.
The inherited memories told him she was proud.
Cold.
Not easily moved.
But the pain in her voice was real.
Lin Hao's refusal had humiliated her before the entire city.
Lin Tianyu met her gaze steadily.
"Miss Mu," he said, "your dignity shall not be harmed tonight."
A brief silence followed.
Then he said something that stunned the entire hall.
"If my son still refuses this marriage…"
He paused.
Every gaze in the room locked onto him.
"…then I, Lin Tianyu, shall personally uphold the alliance."
The hall exploded.
"What?!"
"Did the Patriarch just—"
"This—!"
Even Lin Hao's face turned white.
Mu Zhentian's eyes widened.
Mu Xue'er herself froze.
The words hung in the air like a bolt of heavenly lightning.
Lin Tianyu's expression remained calm.
But inside, his thoughts were racing.
The system clearly wants this marriage completed.
And that Moon Frost Body…
His eyes flickered slightly.
The system suddenly chimed.
[Ding!]
[Host has made a high-value fate decision.]
[Mission Progress: 95%]
[Special Reward unlocked upon marriage completion]
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Mu Xue'er stared at him for a long moment.
Unlike Lin Hao's youthful arrogance, the man before her radiated maturity, authority, and a strange calm that made the chaotic hall itself seem smaller.
This was a true patriarch.
Not a reckless boy.
Her icy eyes softened, just slightly.
Mu Zhentian slowly stood.
His gaze swept over Lin Hao, then rested on Lin Tianyu.
"Patriarch Lin…"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Then let the marriage proceed."
The musicians immediately resumed.
Drums thundered.
Flutes rose.
The hall's tension finally broke.
Lin Hao's face was filled with disbelief.
"Father!"
Lin Tianyu turned sharply.
"Enough."
The single word carried overwhelming authority.
Lin Hao's body stiffened.
He could no longer speak.
At that moment, the system panel flashed.
Writing
[Mission Complete]
Rewards Obtained:
Heaven-grade Spirit Pill x1
Random Skill Chest x1
Lifespan: +20 years
Luck Points +100
A warm current flowed through Lin Tianyu's body.
The headache from the fatal wound began fading rapidly.
Even the weakness in his limbs vanished.
His eyes gleamed.
This system is truly heaven-defying.
But before he could relax, the system flashed again.
This time in crimson.
[Urgent Fate Alert]
[Son of Heaven Xiao Feng has entered Azure Cloud City.]
[Future Event: Sword inheritance within 7 days]
[Warning: High-value opportunity detected]
Lin Tianyu's smile slowly deepened.
So the so-called chosen son had finally appeared.
Good.
Very good.
This world had its protagonist.
But this time…
The protagonist would lose everything.
From opportunities.
To allies.
To destiny itself.
And tonight's marriage was only the beginning.