Chapter 6: Peerless Elegance

When Xiao Ye was still alive, Xiao Lie held a position within the Xiao Clan that was truly unrivaled, even the current patriarch showed him profound reverence. The reason was quite clear: the remarkable talent that Xiao Ye had displayed was destined to make him the strongest among his generation in the Xiao Clan. In a world that revered supernatural powers above all else, naturally as Xiao Ye's father, Xiao Lie was held in high esteem by all within the Xiao Clan. But Xiao Ye was slain by an assassin, and Xiao Lie's only grandson, Xiao Che, suffered from a damaged supernatural lineage. Though Xiao Lie was currently the strongest in Lingyun City, his son had died, his grandson was crippled, and there was no worthy successor. Who would fear him then? His position within the Xiao Clan had plummeted like a thousand li.

Xiao Lie did not show any anger. He had long since grown accustomed to people's cold mockery and disdain, and with a calm smile, he said, "Thank you all for honoring me. Make sure to drink plenty at the banquet later."

"The honor has been paid, but there's no need for wine. My young grandson, Xiao Chenzhi, has just broken through to the seventh level of the Initial Supernatural Realm. I've already spent too much time here, so I must personally stabilize him." As he spoke, the third elder, Xiao Ze, stood up as well.

"Xiao Chenzhi has broken through to the seventh level of the Initial Supernatural Realm? Seventeen years old and such an achievement—this child's future truly knows no bounds. Third Elder, no wonder your face is flushed today—truly heartening! Fourth Elder, Xiao Cheng, also rose to his feet, expressing his surprise and congratulations to the third elder.

Though Xiao Lie had cultivated well, a trace of anger had begun to show in his expression. These four people had once called him brother and showed him occasional respect, but after Xiao Ye's passing and Xiao Che's confirmed supernatural lineage damage, their attitude toward him had changed dramatically, and they now practically ignored him. Normally they would show off their sons and grandsons before him, but now at his grandson's wedding, they boldly mocked and sneered at him, using their own grandchildren's achievements to attack the wound in his heart that he most dreaded touching.

The sudden shift in atmosphere caused the master of ceremonies, Xiao De, to break into a cold sweat. He quickly moved past the remaining procedures and shouted loudly, "Newlyweds, enter the bridal chamber... All honored guests, please enter the banquet hall!"

In the midst of continuous sounds of gongs and drums and joyous celebration, Xiao Che and Xi Qingyue walked into the courtyard together after their greeting, under the gazes of everyone present. The bridal chamber was the room Xiao Che usually lived in, already decorated in bright red, with a large red carpet embroidered with dragons and phoenixes, a pair of large red couplets, red curtains, red tassels, dazzling golden candelabras with two large red incense burners glowing brightly, the candlesticks carved with soaring dragons and phoenixes in golden lacquer; the flickering candlelight cast shadows of nearly floor-to-ceiling golden silk curtains, filling the room with a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere, isolating the bridal chamber from the outside world, the brilliant light making people's eyes dazzle and confused.

Xi Qingyue was supported by her maid, Xi Dongling, to sit on the bed, then Xi Dongling silently left, closing the door. In the room, silence fell, only the faint sound of their own breathing could be heard.

Xi Qingyue sat quietly there, motionless. Xiao Che did not approach her, but stood at the doorway, staring toward the outside, his eyes clouded with darkness.

"Your grandfather was treated so cruelly, and even in your wedding, you're feeling upset inside, aren't you?"

A soft, cold voice came from beside him... Xiao Che's expression changed, Xi Qingyue had actually spoken to him first, which surprised him greatly, although her words were quite sharp.

Xiao Che glanced sideways, hesitated slightly, and said, "Take down the phoenix crown, that thing is too heavy, it'll be uncomfortable if you wear it for too long."

According to the wedding customs of Tianyuan Continent, the bride's phoenix crown must be taken off by the groom by his own hands, but after she was knocked down by the "ice" earlier, the proud Xiao Che was unwilling to touch her again. Of course, he also didn't think Xi Qingyue would actually allow him to help take off the crown.

Xi Qingyue paused slightly, then raised her slender hands, the pearl-embroidered phoenix crown was silently taken off. At that moment, an absolutely stunning face, so beautiful it was suffocating, appeared in Xiao Che's line of sight. Her beautiful eyes lifted, and at the moment their gazes met, Xiao Che's eyes suddenly went blank... These were eyes so beautiful they were indescribable, as if all the clear and lustrous green waves in the world were concentrated without reservation in these eyes like a dream, even the most skilled painter and the most splendid rhetoric could not manage to depict and express them. Her skin was like wax and jade, as white as snow against the frost, her complexion remained bright and white even in the dim light of the room, her lips were as delicate as the most tender flower petals, her elegant nose seemed carved from the most beautiful white jade in the world, towering with innate nobility and pride.

"Truly... the name does not deceive..." Xiao Che murmured, staring at her, her beautiful eyes never once blinked or shifted from start to finish, those exquisite eyes seemed like a deep abyss with endless attraction, drawing his consciousness and thoughts endlessly into it, impossible to escape.

Though he and Xi Qingyue had been betrothed since childhood, except for the occasional glimpses in his youth, after ten years old, this was the first time he had seen Xi Qingyue's true appearance... because Xi Qingyue rarely appeared outside, and Xiao Che, who knew his damaged supernatural lineage, had always harbored feelings of inferiority and resentment, also rarely left the Xiao Clan, and from occasional snippets he heard from others about Xi Qingyue's magnificent beauty, he had always imagined and sketched a vague image in his heart.

But now, upon seeing Xi Qingyue's true appearance, the image he had always imagined in his heart instantly vanished. Because Xi Qingyue's beauty fully exceeded his imagination, he could not describe the kind of unparalleled beauty, even Xiao Che with two lifetimes of memories, when facing this appearance, his spirit became confused for a considerable time.

Xi Qingyue was called the most beautiful woman in Lingyun City, but even now, if someone said she was the most beautiful woman in the Wind and Storm Empire, Xiao Che would not doubt it, he couldn't imagine what kind of beauty could surpass the beauty before his eyes. And the girl before him was still the same age as him, only sixteen years old, this age of girl had not yet fully blossomed into her beauty, if she were to bloom further in a few years, he couldn't even imagine what level of charm she would reach... perhaps it would reach a level of beauty so ethereal.

The small Lingyun City somehow produced such a girl whose every smile and laugh could shake the world, and this girl had become his wife today... Xiao Che couldn't control it, developing a very deep sense of unreality. "And you, however, are quite different from the one in the rumors, and the one I imagined."

Xi Qingyue stood up, her graceful body curves suddenly revealed as she rose, she walked toward Xiao Che, her eyes like water, her lips slightly parted: "The Xiao Clan's rumors say you have a damaged supernatural lineage, able to remain only at the level of Initial Supernatural Realm your entire life. You are truly weak and timid in physique, your personality has also become cowardly and shy, rarely seen in public, seemingly the only companion you have is your young cousin Xiao Lihua and my younger brother Yuan Bo, the only thing good about them all is their appearance."

"Your supernatural energy is not only weak, but also turbid, it is indeed a case of supernatural lineage damage. But the rumors about your personality seem to be entirely wrong."

Xi Qingyue stopped less than three steps from Xiao Che, her beautiful eyes staring directly into his eyes: "Though you're deliberately concealing it, your demeanor clearly shows a sense of pride, from the first moment I saw you until now, it has been this way, completely opposite to the rumors of being cowardly. Earlier at my home, when I froze your arm with supernatural power, your calm reaction surprised me, if your arm hadn't briefly frozen, I even doubted whether my supernatural technique had failed. Just now at the banquet hall, you and your grandfather Xiao Lie were coldly mocked and sneered at in such an important occasion, your body only showed a moment of anger, then it all disappeared, your expression, heart rate, showed no abnormal fluctuations... such a state, even a person aged into middle age at the Spirit Supernatural Realm would find it impossible to achieve!"

"Even when looking at me, your gaze was fascinated, yet never wandered!"

"Your supernatural lineage is indeed damaged, but it is not congenital damage, it should have been damaged when you were very young, your power was directly destroyed by the attack on your supernatural lineage!"