Chapter 135: The Young Warrior Wears a Three-Foot Jade Blade, Coming for You!! (The Climax Approaches!)

Night fell swiftly.

Outside the church, artificial lights blazed brilliantly. Hundreds of people had spread out in every direction, their flames filling the sky, all to set off the wedding church and make it shine with dazzling splendor.

Luoshui sat before the dressing table. Even without makeup, with nothing but her natural features, she would still have been the brightest star among the constellations.

Behind her, Shen Yue held an assortment of cosmetics, carefully adding delicate touches to Luoshui’s face one by one, as though trying to adorn her into a true celestial beauty.

Once the makeup was finished, Luoshui changed into her white wedding gown.

“Luoluo, you’re absolutely beautiful!” Shen Yue stared at the sight before her, momentarily lost in wonder.

Lace and pleats adorned the hem of the dress, while the pure-white gown fell in graceful, dignified lines. More importantly, its wearer seemed born to drift among the clouds like an immortal. Radiance flowed through her brows and eyes. Merely standing there, she resembled an ethereal maiden who had stepped out of an ink-wash landscape—a vision of beauty beyond compare.

What mortal star or vulgar flame beneath the heavens could possibly rival her?

“It’s just a pity that you’re wearing it for that beast… Young Master Jiang.” Shen Yue lowered her head gloomily, her voice filled with regret.

Wasn’t the young man they had seen in White Emperor City countless times better than that beast?

Then again, it was only natural. Jiang Qi possessed overwhelming power and radiated a sharp, intimidating presence. Perhaps any young man in River City who saw him would know better than to compete.

“Help me outside.”

Wearing white wedding gloves, Luoshui gently lifted both sides of her skirt.

Shen Yue did not delay. She immediately moved behind Luoshui and helped raise the train of her wedding dress.

During the time they had spent backstage, quite a number of guests had already arrived in the church’s banquet hall.

They were engaged in animated conversation with Jiang Qi.

Wine glasses clinked as they discussed the recent development of Southland Province and which families had risen to prominence. Yet most of all, they lavished praise on the Jiang family’s lofty status.

“By the way, where is Old Master Jiang? Wasn’t he said to have come to River City? Did he stay away because he was afraid of frightening us?” someone joked, glancing around in bewilderment.

Jiang Qi waved his hand with considerable grace.

“The old man is advanced in years and rarely travels far. Since he has come to this small city, he naturally wanted to experience the local customs for himself.”

“Besides, my grandfather places great importance on ceremony. He said that once we return to Southland, the Jiang family will personally call on the Luo family to ask for their daughter’s hand.”

“He will make his personal appearance when the wedding is formally held.”

Jiang Qi’s explanation sounded calm, modest, and understated.

In truth, it was arrogance to the extreme.

He had come to River City but refused to show himself, merely lending his name to the occasion?

And he would not appear in person until the day of the wedding?

Yet on closer thought, Jiang Shounian truly had the capital to be arrogant.

After all, his identity towered above everyone present, and he had dominated the world for three generations.

“Since Old Master Jiang isn’t attending, what about tonight’s leading lady?”

At the mention of this subject, everyone grew even more excited than they had been discussing Jiang Shounian.

Nearly every guest had come hoping to catch a glimpse of her—the Luo family princess whose grandfather had hidden her from the public for more than twenty years, and whose beauty was said to surpass that of every woman in all of Southland.

“Could it be that Old Master Luo was only bluffing, and that this princess of the Luo family isn’t actually very attractive…”

Someone had just begun to mock her when a figure as white as snow slowly emerged from backstage and entered the banquet hall.

The instant Luoshui appeared, every conversation abruptly ceased.

Even time itself seemed to stand still.

Everyone was so stunned by the breathtaking beauty before them that they rose involuntarily to their feet.

She was beyond compare.

She stole the soul.

Who would dare say that the Luo family princess was unattractive?

They should first go home and take a good look at their own crooked, misshapen faces.

Even Jiang Qi, who had met countless people, found himself completely captivated by her beauty.

He had seen Luoshui without makeup and believed that to be the limit of feminine beauty in this world.

Never had he imagined that she could be beautiful to such an extent.

She truly looked like a princess who had stepped out of a fairy tale.

“Everyone, you’ll have to excuse me for a moment.”

Jiang Qi tossed out the words and walked toward the raised platform. He stopped before Luoshui and adjusted his collar.

“Do you like the place I chose?”

“Ninety-nine couples have been married in this church. Every one of them remained together into old age, living in harmony as husband and wife.”

The implication was obvious: he and Luoshui would become the hundredth couple married in this church.

Luoshui gave no response. Her lashes lowered slightly, and she did not even look at Jiang Qi.

She was proud and aloof, her face cold as frost, utterly devoid of emotion. Just as the rumors claimed, she was an untouchable princess of ice and snow.

“I know you like the stars, so I deliberately chose this chapel with a skylight.”

Jiang Qi pointed lightly upward. Following his gesture, the guests saw that there was indeed a small window in the roof through which the night sky could be viewed.

“Unfortunately, the weather has been uncooperative. There have been several days of torrential rain. Otherwise, the stars tonight would surely be dazzling—just like you.”

“But for the rest of our lives, I hope you and I can gaze upon the vast starry sky together. Will you?”

Jiang Qi spoke with gentle consideration, his words deeply moving. As he spoke, he reached out to take Luoshui’s hand.

But Luoshui subtly recoiled.

The corner of Jiang Qi’s eye twitched. He suddenly thrust out his hand, losing all restraint, and seized Luoshui’s hand in a crushing grip.

Pain flashed through her heart. Luoshui frowned and looked at him.

Yet Jiang Qi wore a warm, gentle, handsome smile.

To anyone watching, it looked no more than playful intimacy between a young couple.

As the crowd remained intoxicated by Luoshui’s beauty and the hall buzzed with excitement, the announcer at the entrance began calling out the arrivals in a ringing voice.

“Qu Hongzhi, the richest magnate in Southland Province, has arrived!”

“Ji Jianfeng, head of Southland Province’s century-old martial arts family, has arrived!”

“Tang Zhongjing, master of the Hall of Benevolent Healing in Southland Province, has arrived!”

“From Southland Province…”

More than a dozen names were announced in succession, instantly stirring an uproar throughout the hall.

The truly heavyweight figures had finally arrived.

“Young Master Jiang, I’ve heard so much about you!” Qu Hongzhi stepped forward and greeted Jiang Qi with cupped fists.

“The Luo family princess possesses beauty worthy of every description, yet seeing her in person is still astonishing. If she were to appear anywhere in Southland, she could empty the streets simply by drawing a crowd.”

“If Young Master Jiang hadn’t gotten there first, I would have sent my useless son to the Luo family to ask for her hand.”

The speaker was Ji Jianfeng.

“Not at all, not at all. Young Master Ji is a martial arts prodigy among Southland’s younger generation. I, Jiang Qi, could never compare. It is merely that the Luo family princess and I happen to share a little more destiny.”

Jiang Qi waved his hand with a smile.

The younger guests could only marvel at such a gathering.

Every one of those who had arrived was a powerful and renowned figure from Southland.

To say that the hall was filled with nobles would not have been an exaggeration.

Once all the guests had taken their seats, the birthday banquet officially began.

“Princess Luo, this is my family’s birthday gift to you. Please accept it.”

Tang Zhongjing, master of the Hall of Benevolent Healing, was the first to step forward. He presented her with an exquisite little box.

Anyone familiar with the Hall of Benevolent Healing would immediately realize that the package almost certainly contained a pill with extraordinarily rare medicinal effects.

A collective gasp swept through the hall.

The very first birthday gift was already so precious.

Luoshui merely nodded lightly, indicating that she accepted it.

With Tang Zhongjing taking the lead, the guests present followed one after another, ascending the platform to offer Luoshui the gifts they had prepared on behalf of their families.

Among them, the most dazzling was a jade bracelet presented by Qu Hongzhi, the richest magnate in Southland. Its market value exceeded one billion.

“Young Master Jiang, where is your gift?”

“That’s right! Young Master Jiang, don’t tell us that you carefully arranged this entire banquet for the beautiful Luoshui but forgot to prepare a birthday gift!”

As one person began to stir the crowd, everyone immediately started shouting.

They were all eager to see what Jiang Qi had prepared for Luoshui.

“You’re all too kind. I’ve never been very knowledgeable about such things.”

Smiling, Jiang Qi took a white sheet of paper with an ornate red border from Wu Qiang.

The gesture caused many people to crane their necks and linger, eager to see what it was.

“This is the birthday gift I prepared for you.”

“Luoshui, ever since we were childhood sweethearts, I have loved you deeply.”

“Will you marry me tonight?”

Jiang Qi unfolded the red-bordered paper. Several delicate lines had been written upon it in elegant calligraphy.

Luoshui stared at it.

Her entire body trembled, and she involuntarily staggered half a step backward. Fortunately, Shen Yue caught her, preventing her from falling.

She had spent the entire evening wondering what Jiang Qi might give her.

But she had never imagined this.

Jiang Qi had actually chosen to present a marriage contract as her birthday gift.

He intended to force her to marry him in front of everyone.

Almost instinctively, Luoshui looked toward the guests below.

It was as though she were searching for someone.

Reason told her that it was absolutely impossible.

Even so, she wanted to see whether he was there.

Perhaps—perhaps he was…

But before Luoshui had time to look for more than a few seconds, she felt someone touch her chin. Then her face was abruptly twisted back around, forcing her to turn toward Jiang Qi.

He compelled her to meet his eyes.

To outsiders, the movement seemed intimate, as though Jiang Qi had domineeringly drawn his woman into his arms to declare his possession.

But only Luoshui could feel that he had used no restraint whatsoever. He had nearly twisted her neck out of place.

“This is your birthday banquet.”

“But I am the main character tonight—Jiang Qi. Tonight, you belong only to me, and you may look at no one but me!”

Jiang Qi was arrogantly vicious, a sinister smile spreading across his face.

Yet when he saw Luoshui’s icy, unmoved expression, he curved his lips into another smile and leaned closer to her ear.

“What are you hoping for?”

“Don’t tell me you’re hoping that worthless man with the surname Qin might be here.”

The instant those words were spoken, the expressionless Luoshui finally reacted.

A cold smile touched the corner of Jiang Qi’s mouth. He lowered his voice, but the malice in his tone became even more pronounced.

“I might as well tell you. Before this banquet began, I already had my men kidnap that worthless man’s younger sister and take her to the harbor in the east.”

“What did you say?”

Luoshui’s phoenix eyes widened instantly as she glared at Jiang Qi.