Chapter 12 : Wedding Night

The wedding was still held in the main hall from last night.

The demon hunters followed the wedding procession, lively and bustling, into the front hall.

Looking into the main hall, they found that the people of Yanyue Mountain Manor were all present. The Master and Mistress of the Manor sat in the highest seats, with other disciples of the manor around them. Only the guest seats were empty.

Seeing the empty guest seats, everyone realized they were reserved for them.

However, after being bewitched and sitting in ignorance last night, everyone was now clear-headed but unsure whether to continue sitting.

As the guests hesitated, Jiang Shiqiu and Ji Yu took their seats. Hongxiao, like a loyal knight, stood behind them, her hand resting on the sword at her waist.

Seeing this, Xu Xiujue, Chen Qingfeng, and Zuo Lingshuang no longer hesitated.

With these people sitting down, the other demon hunters had no choice but to take their seats as well.

The people of Yanyue Mountain Manor seemed unaware of the discomfort among their guests and welcomed them with smiles.

The demon hunters’ expressions were strained. They endured the situation, barely restraining themselves from summoning their magical tools and causing chaos. Knowing that everyone in the manor was not truly alive, they would normally take immediate action. But with the current unclear situation, they feared making things worse and thus chose to remain cautious.

Unsettled and uninterested in the wedding, they looked to Jiang Shiqiu for guidance.

However, this gaze left them speechless.

Jiang Shiqiu appeared very interested in the wedding, whispering and sharing sweet things with Ji Yu.

“Wife, you know, we haven’t had a wedding in the human world yet. Do you have any regrets? Perhaps when we leave here, we could have one?”

Ji Yu: “…”

Ji Yu didn’t want to speak.

Nevertheless, she listened to his words and felt a twinge of unease in her heart.

As a demon hunter, she understood the principle of the separation between the human and the demonic realms. This separation served as a protective measure for the human world. Thus, even the most powerful demons, when attempting to invade the human world, would choose an appropriate time and follow certain rules, or else the human world would weaken their power.

Ji Yu was clear-headed, knowing what her relationship with Jiang Shiqiu was about. She had always thought that his repeated calls of “wife” were just a game to mask his true identity.

But if they had really had a wedding, and it wasn’t a wedding in the human realm…

Ji Yu’s scalp tingled, and she dared not think further.

“What are you thinking about, wife?” Jiang Shiqiu asked with interest.

Ji Yu didn’t want to engage with him, but she knew she couldn’t oppose him directly. She replied vaguely, “Nothing much, just thinking about our wedding…”

Jiang Shiqiu’s eyes flickered slightly as he smiled, “Can’t you remember, wife? This really disappoints me.”

Ji Yu: “…”

She sharply sensed the sudden coldness in his eyes. Although she wasn’t sure if it was his true nature or directed at her, Ji Yu felt a chill run down her spine.

She composed herself and said, “I’ll try to remember.”

Her words seemed to calm him, the coldness vanished replaced by boundless tenderness. He cheerfully said, “Then you should really think about it, wife.”

Ji Yu didn’t know how to respond again.

Fortunately, the wedding had begun.

The bride and groom came in surrounded by the crowd. The groom was in high spirits and in high spirits, while the bride was covered with a red veil and was visibly stiff. She was supported by two burly bridesmaids.

Even though they knew what was happening, seeing the bride’s unwilling expression still made many of the demon hunters privately relieved.

In these times, being too good-looking wasn’t safe for a demon hunter.

Demons also had aesthetics, don’t assume they prefer the ugly just because they’re not human.

The officiant began the ceremony, and the Master and Mistress of the Manor watched the bride and groom with joyous expressions. The demon hunters, however, remained expressionless and vigilant.

They were on high alert, waiting for Jiang Shiqiu’s orders.

However, even after the ceremony concluded, Jiang Shiqiu showed no signs of action and didn’t instruct them to intervene.

The demon hunters were unsure and kept glancing at Jiang Shiqiu, who, next to Ji Yu, was pointing and commenting on the wedding as if he were an ordinary guest critiquing the ceremony.

Chen’s disciples, growing anxious, couldn’t help but worry.

Even if Chen Qingzhe had flaws, he was still a talented disciple of the Chen family and shouldn’t be left to suffer here.

As the bridesmaid prepared to escort the bride to the bridal chamber, Chen Qingfeng couldn’t help but ask, “Master Jiang, when should we act?”

The others also looked at Jiang Shiqiu.

Jiang Shiqiu, appearing indifferent, said, “Why the hurry?” Seeing the anxious expressions of those present, he added helpfully, “If you’re worried, just follow them.”

Upon hearing this, the crowd showed doubtful expressions.

Before they could respond, Jiang Shiqiu stood up, pulling Ji Yu with him, and enthusiastically said, “Wife, let’s go and cause some trouble in the bridal chamber. I haven’t done that before, it should be quite interesting.”

Ji Yu: “…”

The others: “…”

The crowd found themselves at a loss for words. If it weren’t for their ingrained “memories” of Jiang Shiqiu as the Commander of the Demon Division, they would have been tempted to act against him by now.

At this point, could Master Jiang be a bit more serious?

Ji Yu could sense the group’s frustration and barely restrained desire to act. She glanced at Jiang Shiqiu, feeling that this demon was indeed arrogant and infuriating.

As expected, his mood was unpredictable and his actions eccentric.

Jiang Shiqiu enthusiastically led Ji Yu towards the bridal chamber, and the others, feeling helpless, had no choice but to follow.

It was either follow him or stay here, glaring at the Master of the Manor, and then potentially act without knowing the full situation.

Soon, they realized that the direction the bride and groom were heading in wasn’t quite right, which made everyone alert again.

During their time at the manor, they had thoroughly explored its layout. Normally, the bridal chamber would be in the courtyard where the Young Master of the Manor resided.

But now, they were heading towards the back mountain of the manor instead of the Young Master’s courtyard.

The back mountain had been explored before and was just a forest with nothing particularly unusual.

However, considering the current nighttime atmosphere of the manor, shrouded in eerie darkness, they couldn’t be sure and decided to hold their position and refrain from taking any action.

Even the previously anxious Chen family disciples were reluctant to act.

The bride and groom, surrounded by a crowd, led the way, while the demon hunters followed behind. The entire world was eerily quiet, devoid of the earlier festive mood.

Upon closer inspection, the servants leading the way, holding red lanterns and dressed in bright red clothing, had expressionless faces. They looked as lifeless as corpses. The groom also lacked his previous proud demeanor, and the two bridesmaid assisting the bride were the same.

This scene was exceptionally eerie and unsettling.

The demon hunters felt the atmosphere growing increasingly strange and filled with evil spirit energy, creating a sense of unease.

Upon reaching the forest at the back of the mountain, the bride and groom continued without pause, entering the woods.

The group hurried to follow. The forest was dark and foreboding, with dense trees obscuring the moonlight. Only the red lantern held by the servant in front was dimly lit.

In such conditions, the demon hunters dared not act impulsively. Fortunately, their excellent vision allowed them to see in the darkness, so they weren’t worried about stumbling.

However, the forest was intensely cold, with an icy chill penetrating their bones and making their faces turn pale.

Ji Yu was being pulled by Jiang Shiqiu, and his hand, holding hers, was warm, making her oblivious to the surrounding chill. If she weren’t aware of the mysterious origins of his hand, she might have thought he was an ordinary person.

Ji Yu lowered her gaze, hiding her thoughts, and subtly surveyed her surroundings.

Finally, they passed through the woods and came to the end of the forest.

When the demon hunters saw the scene at the end of the forest, they were jolted with shock, cold sweat breaking out all over their bodies.

During the day, they had crossed the forest, and the end of it had been a mountain range, lush and green with the spring rains.

However, now the mountain range had disappeared, replaced by the entrance to an underground palace.

Upon seeing the fierce stone guardians and the totems on the stone door, someone exclaimed, “Longquan Underground Palace?”

Although all those present were young people, they were either not born or were still young when the fierce battle broke out twenty years ago, but they had heard about the Longquan Underground Palace from the older generation and had deep memories of it.

This is also the reason why Chen Qingfeng could recognize at a glance that the underground dark room of Yanyue Villa was built in imitation of the Longquan Underground Palace. 

But they couldn’t figure out the connection between the Longquan Underground Palace and the Yanyue Villa.

The underground chamber of the Yanyue Villa had been there since the manor was established. The manor itself was built three hundred years ago, while the Longquan Underground Palace appeared only twenty years ago. How could these two be related? Or did the ancestors of Yanyue Villa already know about the Longquan Underground Palace existence and thus constructed a similar underground chamber beneath their manor?

But what was the purpose of this?

The demon hunters thought about it a lot, their heads aching, but couldn’t come up with an answer.

As they watched the bride and groom enter the underground palace, the demon hunters looked at Jiang Shiqiu.

“Master Jiang, should we go in?” someone asked hesitantly, already having second thoughts.

They were concerned that this underground palace might also house a thousand-year-old corpse demon like the Longquan Underground Palace, something they couldn’t handle. Entering might mean they never come back.

Jiang Shiqiu scanned everyone with a smile that was not quite a smile and said, “Aren’t you here to uncover the truth about Yanyue Villa? The truth is right in front of you. If you don’t go in, how will you uncover it?”

“But… if it’s the same as the Longquan Underground Palace, we…”

The demon hunter who spoke hesitated. Although demon hunters are tasked with exterminating demons, not all of them disregard their own lives. The fear of death is inherent in humans, no one can truly be at ease when facing the prospect of death.

Jiang Shiqiu’s expression grew impatient, and he said coldly, “If you’re afraid of death, then don’t go in.”

With that, he pulled Ji Yu inside.

Hongxiao, showing no hesitation, followed right behind them. Her duty was to protect the Young Master, and she would follow wherever he went.

Xu Xiujue, Chen Qingfeng, and Zuo Lingshuang, seeing this, hesitated for a moment but decided to follow.

Disciples from the Xu family, Chen family, and the Demon Extermination Alliance naturally followed.

The remaining people were hesitant. In the end, some gritted their teeth and followed, while others chose to stay outside.

Jiang Shiqiu noticed the commotion outside and turned his gaze to Ji Yu, who was being pulled along.

Ji Yu’s expression was calm, her steps somewhat unsteady but composed.

He suddenly smiled and asked, “Wife, aren’t you afraid?”

His smile was like the flowers of spring, or like the vivid blaze of ghostly fireworks, burning brightly and dangerously in the heart, both alluring and perilous.

He was already extremely handsome, his actions seemingly refined and polite, but in reality, he was unruly and capricious, like a demon wearing human skin.

No, perhaps he was just a demon in human skin.

Ji Yu gazed at his smile in a daze and softly said, “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

If she wasn’t afraid of death itself, how could she be afraid of the unknown in this underground palace? It was merely a matter of life or death.

Moreover, what could be more terrifying than having someone beside her who could casually alter the memories of even the demon hunters?

At that moment, Jiang Shiqiu’s eyes sparkled, filled with an enigmatic gleam that Ji Yu couldn’t quite understand.

He suddenly stopped, his eyes narrowing slightly, a look of intoxication and confusion on his face. Holding her hand, he sighed and said, “My wife is indeed… how could I not love you?”

Such words, almost like murmurs in a dream, finally made Ji Yu’s previously calm demeanor waver, causing ripples in her serene heart.

A cold chill seeped into her heart, and Ji Yu felt a sudden fear. She was afraid that his excited, obsessed, and unfathomable look might be revealing something she couldn’t bear, and that it seemed to be restraining her tightly.