Chapter 127: Halting the Wedding

“Getting married, are you? Do you have a father’s consent? A matchmaker’s agreement?” Lin Xiaobao fixed his gaze on Long Xiuping and asked.

“Of course we do. Meng Ling was originally an orphan; the Liuyun Sect is her home. The sect leader is right here. What more do you want to say?” Although burning with the desire to kill Lin Xiaobao immediately, Long Xiuping still argued his point firmly, knowing some matters must be handled discreetly.

Lin Xiaobao laughed heartily. “How ridiculous. You’re about to marry her, yet you don’t even know her background. Si Meng Ling, were you really an orphan? Tell everyone who your father is.”

Si Meng Ling had not expected Lin Xiaobao to bring this up now. She was about to say she had no father but reconsidered. In the current situation, if she admitted that, Lin Xiaobao would lose his excuse to save her. She glared at Lin Xiaobao, gritting her teeth, and said, “My father is Elder Lin Tianlin of the Windsnow Pavilion.”

What? The father of Liuyun Sect’s outstanding disciple was an elder of the Windsnow Pavilion? Everyone found this somewhat absurd but soon understood. Now it was clear why Lin Xiaobao was so intent on stopping this marriage.

After all, those attending the wedding, even those seated at the far end, were well-known figures in Bloodwind City. Since the auction incident at Xiaoyao Pavilion, many had investigated this mysterious Lin Xiaobao and knew he hailed from the Windsnow Pavilion, apprenticed to Elder Lin Tian.

“That’s more like it! My master once promised to betroth his daughter to me. Now you want to force her to be your wife? Is your Long family known for bullying others?” Lin Xiaobao pressed on, pleased with Si Meng Ling’s cooperation. In truth, Lin Xiaobao had already planned to sabotage this marriage even if she had denied her relation to Lin Tian. But it seemed such trouble was unnecessary now.

“Spreading lies to confuse the public!” Seeing his scheme unravel and facing potential enmity from the Long family, Liu Yingyi no longer cared about propriety. “Meng Ling was an orphan I found during my travels!”

He turned to Si Meng Ling. “Meng Ling, you must not listen to this villain’s deceit. You must understand what you are saying!”

“Respectfully, Sect Leader, I only recently discovered my origins atop Jiuping Mountain,” Si Meng Ling declared, throwing caution to the wind. “Besides, I never agreed to this marriage!”

“See that? Did everyone see?” Lin Xiaobao gave Si Meng Ling a subtle thumbs-up, then grimaced. “This is the Long family’s way. When she refuses, they still use their power to suppress her. I may lack skill, but I cannot just watch my fiancée be snatched away and forced into marriage. Is that what it means to be a man?”

“Enough of this noise!” Long Zhentian had not expected such upheaval at his son’s wedding. With a loud shout, he turned to Si Meng Ling. “If you don’t like my son, you should never have agreed to this marriage. Now, after everything, you refuse? What do you expect us to do with the Long family?”

Pausing briefly to regain composure and weigh the consequences, Long Zhentian continued, “Since this marriage cannot proceed, then today shall be a funeral rather than a wedding! Otherwise, the Long family will lose face and footing in Bloodwind City! Seize these two!”

At his command, three Long family experts, all Spirit Path Ninth Stage masters, lunged at Lin Xiaobao. Though careful not to harm others, they closed all escape routes around him.

Crack… crack… crack… The three strikes came swiftly and just as quickly, as if out of nowhere, Yun Zhongtian appeared before Lin Xiaobao, evidently the one who had driven the Long family back.

“What is the Yun family’s meaning in this?” Long Zhentian was shocked that Yun Zhongtian dared to intervene to protect Lin Xiaobao at such a moment.

From all the intelligence gathered, Lin Xiaobao only gained access to the Yun family through Yun Keke’s favor. Knowing Yun Zhongtian’s nature, it was unthinkable he would stand up for Lin Xiaobao now. Moreover, with Cheng Yi and Qin Feng arriving alongside the Yun family, Long Zhentian began to suspect today’s events formed a trap against his clan and grew cautious.

“No special meaning! Lin Gongzi is our guest; naturally, I must protect him!” Yun Zhongtian said, folding his arms, though his hands trembled slightly. He understood he had already bet everything on this risky gamble.

The stakes were the entire Yun family, the wager Lin Xiaobao’s extraordinary identity would turn the tide. Seeing Elder Liu Yangqiu of the Wuxiang Hall present, Yun Zhongtian knew that recruiting Lin Xiaobao was the Yun family’s only chance now, lest the Long family swallow them whole in the long run.

“Good, very good. Who else here dares to stand with this brat?” Long Zhentian’s voice brimmed with hatred. Lin Xiaobao had already embarrassed the Long family at the auction and now disrupted the wedding. Normally, Long Zhentian would still heed the Yun family’s influence, but with Elder Liu of Wuxiang Hall present, he did not hesitate to seize this chance to eliminate his foes.

Faced with Long Zhentian’s arrogant laughter, Cheng Yi found himself in a predicament. Lin Xiaobao indeed carried Elder Chen’s ring, but was this boy truly Elder Chen’s brother?

The outside world might be unaware, but the Xuanyang Hall knew Elder Chen had vanished without a trace for years. Some even speculated he had transcended the mortal realm. If so, was it worth offending Wuxiang Hall for Lin Xiaobao now?

Xuanyang Hall did not fear Wuxiang Hall, but Lin Xiaobao’s value was questionable. After some thought, Cheng Yi decided to wait and see.

“Old Medicine Boy, will you help me?” Lin Xiaobao smiled at Qin Feng.

No one expected Lin Xiaobao to call for aid now. Following his gaze, everyone was stunned to see Qin Feng’s face flush red.

What had he just called Master Qin? Old Medicine Boy? Did he want Master Qin to be his apprentice? Was Lin Xiaobao mad? Or was he resigned to death today, no longer caring about how much trouble he caused?

“I’ve said before, I only lose to you as a Medicine Boy by three years, but your life and death are none of my concern!” Qin Feng’s words confirmed the truth behind Lin Xiaobao’s earlier statement.

Only then did everyone realize Master Qin truly intended to become Lin Xiaobao’s Medicine Boy. Fortunately, it was because he had lost a bet, which everyone could accept. Had it been due to Lin Xiaobao’s alchemy skills, no one present would have tolerated it.

“Is that so? What if I offer you the method I used to heal Yun Yuefei as a condition?” Lin Xiaobao smiled. “If you refuse to help me today, I will never teach you this healing technique for the rest of your life!”