Chapter Eighty-Three: The Wedding!

Zhou Hun’s face twisted in pain, yet he clenched his jaw and remained perfectly still.

Within the crimson flames, the energy that spanned the entire starsea began to melt at an astonishing speed. The liquefied energy split into two: one part became invisible, pure starforce, which was absorbed by Zhou Hun’s astral body. The other, impure and chaotic portion, turned black and began to condense.

The refining process did not last long. After about half an hour, Yang Ye slowly lifted his palm from Zhou Hun’s head. At that moment, a mass of black energy appeared between Yang Ye’s palms above Zhou Hun’s head.

This black energy could still undergo a second stage of refinement and purification. Yang Ye drew the black energy away from Zhou Hun, turned his palm over, and summoned a crimson dragonflame to completely envelop the dark energy.

Moments later, Yang Ye’s fingers closed gradually, and the black energy began to dissipate rapidly into dark mist. The energy cluster grew paler and smaller until, at last, it condensed into a pale blue crystal about the size of a fingertip.

With a thought, Yang Ye scattered the blue crystal and drew it into his palm.

In this way, as he helped Zhou Hun and the others, Yang Ye himself also gained immense benefit. The refined energy was roughly equivalent to the output of a late-phase planetary beast core. Moreover, this process also afforded Yang Ye the opportunity to temper his spiritual awareness.

“Thank you, Inspector Ye! My starsea has returned to normal!” Zhou Hun stood up, his expression filled with gratitude.

Yang Ye nodded and walked over to Mao Li.

Over the course of two days, Yang Ye used dragonflame to refine and purge all impure energies from the starseas of his forty-eight subordinates.

As the time for his sister’s wedding drew near, Yang Ye gave the order for the Celestial Patrol to set sail, and a few days later they returned to Tianyan Port.

...

A few days passed.

February 20th.

In a manor on the outskirts of Xiajing, the grandest wedding in Earth’s history was held.

Nearly half of all stellar cultivators in Huaxia gathered at the manor. In addition, Yang Ye had invited renowned celebrities from around the world.

Even those parliamentarians and cultivator clans who had previously harbored grudges against Yang Ye arrived uninvited, bearing lavish gifts. Clearly, they sought to use the occasion to mend relations with him. Yang Ye understood their intentions—after all, as the saying went, you don’t strike a smiling face—and therefore did not turn them away.

The manor was suddenly host to at least five thousand guests.

It wasn’t merely the size of the crowd that made this the most magnificent wedding in history. Two superstellar starbeasts took part, making the event truly unique.

Yang Yu and her groom, Bai Haotian, sat in a towering carriage as Dahei and Ninety-nine, the two starbeasts, drew the wedding coach in nine circuits around the manor, symbolizing everlasting union.

For the first time, the world saw two superstellar starbeasts. Because the wedding was broadcast live, both those present and viewers watching on television were stunned at the sight of these two mighty creatures. They marveled at Yang Ye’s extraordinary abilities.

Watching his sister and Bai Haotian, along with the four bridesmaids and groomsmen, waving to the crowd from the wedding carriage, Yang Ye and Long Xiaoqing beamed with happiness.

The cameramen gave both Yang Ye and Long Xiaoqing extended close-ups. Thanks to the television and internet coverage leading up to the wedding, the whole world now knew that Patriarch Ye was none other than Yang Ye in disguise.

“Husband, I wish I could have a wedding like this,” Long Xiaoqing exclaimed as she gazed at the joyous scene.

Yang Ye laughed. “When we got married, it was even more dramatic than this—there were several bolts of heavenly lightning! All grandpa’s doing, wasn’t it?”

Long Xiaoqing nodded, but still pouted.

“Alright!” Yang Ye promised. “Someday, I’ll hold for you the grandest, most luxurious wedding the universe has ever seen!”

By “the universe,” Yang Ye naturally referred to the vast world beyond Earth.

“Pinky promise!” Long Xiaoqing extended her finger.

With a helpless smile, Yang Ye hooked her little finger with his.

This touching moment was, of course, captured by the seasoned cameraman.

“What’s Inspector Ye doing with his wife?”

“Looks like he’s making a promise?”

“Could it be that his wife wants him to throw a wedding to rival this one?”

...

Viewers everywhere began to chatter about the scene.

At last, the world-shaking wedding came to an end. Yang Ye was thoroughly satisfied. From this day forward, any mention of superstellar starbeasts would conjure memories of this splendid celebration.

After sending the guests on their way, Yang Ye granted his subordinates an extended holiday, since the Spring Festival—Huaxia’s traditional New Year—was approaching.

Yet, after the holiday began, only a few of his people departed; most remained. Having been imprisoned for so long, many had no family to return to.

It took Yang Yu and Bai Haotian several days to sort through all the gifts. Among them was an entire chest filled with beast cores.

The couple carried the heavy chest to Yang Ye. Yang Yu opened it and said, “Xiao Ye, we have no use for these things. You should keep them.”

All the cores were of the stellar level—at least two hundred in the chest alone. The value of these beast cores alone could purchase several manors.

In addition to the beast cores, there was a large sum of cash. With the live broadcast fees from Xiajing Television, the total income astonishingly exceeded fifteen billion martial coins!

“Sis, brother-in-law, you should keep these cores for yourselves. You’ll need them later,” Yang Ye said with a smile.

Yang Yu replied, “We can’t cultivate, so what’s the point? I know full well these gifts were intended for you, the Inspector.”

Just as Yang Ye was about to keep them in suspense, Long Xiaoqing interjected with a grin, “Sis, what my husband means is—these beast cores will allow you and brother-in-law to become cultivators.”

“What?!”

Yang Yu and Bai Haotian were stunned.

Yang Ye shot Long Xiaoqing a look, but could only explain frankly, “I have a certain elixir that can turn ordinary people into cultivators. Nezha is currently improving it—it won’t be long before it succeeds.”

Both Yang Yu and Bai Haotian were filled with excitement. Who in this world did not wish to be a cultivator? They were no different.

“Then, we’ll keep these after all.” Overjoyed, Yang Yu and Bai Haotian quickly closed the chest and stored it in their underground vault.

...

After celebrating the New Year with his sister, Yang Ye left Dahei behind to guard the manor. When Dahei heard he wouldn’t have to return to the sea, the intelligent starbeast was so moved it shed tears. During its time at sea, Dahei had been so seasick it nearly lost its mind. Its emotional display naturally drew a disdainful glance from Ninety-nine.

Once his people had regrouped, Yang Ye and his retinue boarded the Celestial Patrol.

By this time, Huaxia’s reforms were well underway. Martial academies established by the government had sprung up in all major cities. Anyone with cultivation talent, regardless of background, could train upon passing the academy’s assessment, with full support from the state.

The Star Martial Administration had been abolished, and public security in every city was now entrusted to the martial academies.

Yang Ye’s Xiajing Inspectorate was reorganized as the Huaxia Inspectorate. Though only a word had changed, its power was now vastly greater.

All of Huaxia—including foreign cultivators—fell under the jurisdiction of the Inspectorate. Yang Ye himself rarely intervened, but his presence hung over the nation’s cultivators like a sword of Damocles.

Though Huaxia seemed to be flourishing, there were still those who refused to give up their schemes in secret. These people were all waiting for one thing: the opening of the secret realm in May...