Chapter 533: An Accident
Yun Yang turned around abruptly, looking at Ji Lingxi in disbelief.
Ji Lingxi lowered her head, casting her red-rimmed eyes downwards, and spoke softly, "I... I can't... I didn't agree to it but Sister Lan said that even if I don't agree, there's only death in store for her. My brother's not here anymore, if I don't agree, she won't be able to be a part of the Ji Family, I..." she trailed off.
A red scarf hugged the bottom of Yue Rulan's neck. With Yun Yang's sharp vision, he could easily see the faint trail of blood seeping through. Coercing Ji Lingxi with her life, threatening her with her death, this was how the wedding banquet came to be.
Ji Lingxi lowered her head and sighed softly.
Yue Rulan's focused on her, she said with a smile, "Lingxi, today is your brother's and your sister-in-law's big day. Why aren't you helping to welcome our guest? After today, we'll truly be a family!"
Ji Lingxi breathed in and said, "I'll go now." She then turned to enter the room.
Yun Yang closed his eyes and breathed out a long exhale. His eyes opened shortly and he put a grin on and said, "Congratulations! Sister-in-law, you're marrying into my eighth brother's family today. What a match made in heaven! I'm so happy for my brother and I wish for both of you to stay together forever."
Yue Rulan's eyes turned into crescents as she replied, "I sure hope it comes true. Since you've called me sister-in-law, then you must drink more today. You're not alone, you know?"
Yun Yang nodded vehemently and said, "Of course, of course. I've come to this banquet today on behalf of all my brothers. I must drink till I am intoxicated!"
Yue Rulan's eyes were twinkling as she replied, "Then today will be the happiest day in my life. This is enough to last me a lifetime."
"Congratulations," said Yun Yang again.
After saying that word, he wanted to go on saying a couple more congratulatory phrases but felt his throat locking itself down. No further words could be produced.
The curtain was drawn back as Ji Lingxi exited the room and rejoined them.
When Yun Yang looked over, Ji Lingxi had changed into a man's clothing; it was the bridegroom's attire. She looked handsome and lively. What a charming bridegroom!
Yun Yang now better understood what Yue Rulan meant when she told Ji Lingxi to help her. He had only come on behalf of his Nine Supremes brothers, but Ji Lingxi had to both welcome the guest and also become the family of the bridegroom; she had to be the bridegroom as well.
Yue Rulan looked a little awkward and said anxiously, "Brother Yun, I've suddenly got this idea today and wanted to fulfill this wish of becoming husband and wife. You'll have to be the witness of our wedding, the officiator, and the guest all by yourself."
Yun Yang breathed in deeply and said in a light-hearted manner, "It doesn't matter, sister-in-law. It would be wrong if you had not sought to include me. Besides, it isn't only me, Yun Yang, alone today. The Nine Supremes brothers stay together through life and death, never letting each other go. We're together. Just as I am here, they are here as well.
Yue Rulan then hooked arms with Ji Lingxi and said happily, "Brother Yun, look at us husband and wife, how do we look? Don't we look like a great couple?"
Yun Yang emptied his goblet, gulping down the heartache and inexplicable grief along the wine; he put on an equally joyous face as he answered, "Marvelous! A perfect match made in heaven of both talent and beauty, a woman of charm and a man of genius, perfect indeed!"
The red candles burned.
Yun Yang's voice sounded like it was choked and he had to cough out his words.
"Bride and bridegroom, the first kowtow is to heaven and earth!"
"Second to the parents!"
"Third to each other!"
"End of the ceremony!"
The bride and bridegroom had gone in for their nuptial night to complete the last protocol.
Yun Yang faced the table full of dishes and wine by himself, feeling his throat clogging up; every bite he took was tasteless like as if he was chewing wax. Yun Yang's well-known trait of gluttony was already gone but even if it had still remained, he would not have been able to swallow another mouthful.
Frustrated, he picked up the pot of wine, intending to gulp down the liquid straightaway. When the whole pot was emptied, he heaved a long sigh.
"A dream of a hero, a lifetime of a woman... Eighth brother... if your spirit remains... how can you bear letting such a soul mate... be wasted away like this..."
"Eighth brother!"
"A dream of a hero, a lifetime of a woman... Sigh..."
Yue Rulan and Ji Lingxi walked out shoulder to shoulder. Both of them had just shared the cross-cupped drink. They looked lively but tears tinged their smiles. Their grief and sorrow needed no words of explanation.
Yue Rulan was still beaming joyously, just like a bride who had fulfilled her wish of marrying a great man. Ji Lingxi however, looked weighed down, tears hanging by the tips of her lashes; she held her grief down, forcing herself to look jubilant.
"Brother, today's our big day. Your sister-in-law and eighth brother will propose a toast. You can't run away!"
Yue Rulan picked up the pot of wine and poured a goblet full of wine, passing it to Yun Yang, and said, "The bride is here to propose a toast."
Yun Yang accepted it mechanically and pulled the corners of his lips into a smile. "Great wine! I will definitely drink this wine! Even if I were to be drunk after this, I'd still drink it. This toast is to wish my eighth brother and sister-in-law to always be harmonious and happy together."
He raised his goblet and finished the contents with a gulp.
The second goblet came. Yun Yang sucked in a breath. "This second one, I wish my eighth brother and sister-in-law to be together forever, eternally husband and wife!"
"The third toast, I wish my eighth brother and sister-in-law to be in love forever, till the end of the world!"
"The fourth toast, I'll drink it on behalf of my brothers!"
"Brother, don't keep drinking. Sit, sit. Have some dishes. You'll be drunk soon enough if you keep drinking without eating anything. You're here representing all your brothers. Even if we're to stop only when we're drunk, I can't have you being intoxicated so early."
It was the most suffering meal Yun Yang ever experienced in his life but he forced himself to put up a happy front and kept on toasting, cooperating with all his might.
"This toast, to the brothers."
"Thank you, sister-in-law."
"Again!"
"Thank you!"
Eight consecutive goblets of wine were gulped down. Yun Yang was in great agony after drinking them.
"Eldest brother, second brother, third sister, fourth brother, sixth brother, seventh brother, eighth brother's wedding wine, I've drunk it all for you guys."
A while later, when Yun Yang was utterly inebriated, his head throbbed with a dull ache and his vision became foggy.
Not only was this wedding banquet the most insufferable meal of his life, it was also the only time Yun Yang was intoxicated since the battle at Tianxuan Cliff! Yun Yang's vision was blurry but it was like as if his brothers had really reunited here in this foggy sight; everyone was holding a goblet as laughter and chatter filled the place.
"Today, you've witnessed I, Yue Rulan, finally becoming husband and wife with Ji Lingfeng. From now on, I, Yue Rulan, am a part of the Ji Family, a Ji mistress!"
"From today onwards, I will never look for you again, I will never miss you anymore. Because you're already my husband, you're right here in my heart - you won't run away again!"
"You can triumph over the sky, riding the winds and clouds, be the hero that no one can rival! I shall only wait quietly! This shall be enough."
"Ji Lingfeng, this lifetime of yours, for eternity, don't ever think of getting rid of me!"
They had more than enough wine.
Through the haze of his drunkenness Yun Yang vaguely heard Yue Rulan speaking, as if at a distance, saying,"Brother, it's impossible for your sister-in-law to give birth to a Ji Family's descendant in this lifetime. This is my regret. But there's something else, before your eighth brother left, it was actually his younger sister that he was most worried for. Lingxi's children will be Ji Family's descendants..."
"We won't be able to take care much of his sister so you must take good care of your eighth brother's sister instead."
"From now on, your eighth brother and I will entrust Lingxi to you..."
"If you guys are not fated to be then that's fine, but if you are, when you have children in the future, let one have the surname Ji so that your eighth brother's legacy can live on."
Yun Yang did not control his alcohol tolerance at all during the meal, nor did he force the alcohol out of his body using a mystical skill. He was truly intoxicated to the brim.
Alcohol was the solution to misery - such was this wedding, the devotion, the women, and the atmosphere; Yun Yang was in a hurry for himself to be knocked out as only then could he be numbed to everything else!
"This worldly realm... all alone..." Yun Yang heaved a long sigh and suddenly laughed, "You all have gone off to enjoy but look at me, all alone and fighting in havoc! Hahaha... "his laughter trailed off.
With a plop, he collapsed on the table and lost consciousness.
Looking at Yun Yang who was knocked out drunk, Yue Rulan sighed softly and said, "Come, Lingxi, let us sister-in-laws drink too! It's a big day, how can we not drink? Indeed the cross-cupped wine was drank representing your brother, but that isn't enough!"
Ji Lingxi had never been good at drinking plus she was exceptionally heavyhearted today; she was already tipsy when Yue Rulan forced another few goblets of wine down her throat, then she swayed and collapsed just like Yun Yang.
Yue Rulan sighed sympathetically as she watched Ji Lingxi get knocked out.
She mumbled softly, "Lingxi, if you go on being so reserved then Yun Yang, who doesn't even know romance, won't ever take the initiative, especially because he shoulders too much. He might never even think about romance and ultimately you'll end up like me now, alone."
"How can no one proceed with the nuptial night in today's wedding?"
"I hope you don't blame me in the future..."
"If there's any condemnation then let your sister-in-law carry it. This is also the last time I can help you."
...
Yun Yang slept deeply. He felt as if all his brothers had come to his side and were drinking merrily. He could not help beaming and sighing in content, "I miss you all..."
His hand jerked as if he had touched something; he rolled over, opened his eyes and focused his gaze, only to see someone lying right beside him. It was Ji Lingxi, eyes closed and breathing gently, still deep in sleep.
What was going on? Beside him?
Huh! Why was Ji Lingxi on his bed?
What was happening?
Yun Yang shook his head, feeling dazed; he stretched his hand to push at Ji Lingxi without hesitation, asking, "You..."
Just as the word was uttered, Ji Lingxi who was sleeping flashed red all of a sudden! At the same time, an incredibly terrifying force erupted forth like the entire world had just collapsed before Yun Yang. An unstoppable power charged out from Ji Lingxi, who was still asleep.
With a boom, Yun Yang was struck without any defense.
Bang!
The window was crushed as Yun Yang flew out like a broken kite. When he tried his best to open his eyes in midair, he only saw crushed window fragments going farther away from him before a violent stab of pain rose within him.
Yun Yang was shocked, at a complete loss to understand what was happening. Everything that happened so far was well out of his expectation and it was only growing more absurd and unbelievable.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Yun Yang finally was thrown against a wall after breaking two trees. He spat blood with a cry, feeling his entire body ache as he wondered how many bones he had broken in the crash. He lifted his head with some effort, feeling dumbstruck, "What - what's happening..."
"Who attacked me? Who is it?"
Yue Rulan who was sitting under the tree and moon outside was completely shocked as she took in the scene, springing up with a soft cry and watching it unfold in panic.
She had forecasted many possible outcomes, be it Yun Yang making the exit in bewilderment, shame, or even angrily from being tricked; those outcomes wouldn't have been a surprise. However, to be beaten out so violently, this was beyond her expectation and belief.
Yue Rulan suddenly became aware of the scariest possibility and rushed into the room.
What she saw was Ji Lingxi still sleeping on the bed neatly clothed; she had yet to wake up. There was no third party in the room nor an intruder, but then what was responsible for the scene that just happened?
Yue Rulan was stumped.
Ji Lingxi was still sound asleep and there was no third party between them. Then, who had flung Yun Yang out?
When she went to the door again to look, Yun Yang could barely pick himself up as he was still vomiting blood. His gaze was in complete disarray.
Yue Rulan's mouth was wide open.
Yun Yang finally found his footing and stood up in a stagger, asking weakly, "Sister Yue...what's going on?
Swoosh, swoosh...
Bai Yixue, Yun Xiaoyao, Lao Mei and Fang Mofei came flying over as if they were about to face an enemy. Yun Yang's current cultivation base was one of the highest, just after Bai Yixue, among the crowd now; how could he have suffered instantly from such a harsh blow?
If there was an enemy, it must have been such a formidable enemy indeed!
Yet as they looked around, everything appeared serene and unruffled. There was no sign of enemies at all. Yun Yang's injuries, though, were clear to the eyes.
How?!