297: The sensation caused by the betrothal gift

The Yunmeng Immortal Sect is near the Yunmeng Sea, and Huo Keng's return to the Nanzhou Sacred Fire Sect would require passing through the Yunmeng Immortal Sect's territory.

Both men felt a mix of emotions for their children, and there was a sense of shared suffering between them. They drank cup after cup of wine, yet remained completely sober.

In comparison, Huo Keng felt he was luckier than Yun Zhongjun. That rebellious son of Yun Zhongjun was constantly clamoring to challenge Yun Zhongjun to a duel. He was definitely not someone easy to deal with, a rebel among rebels.

His daughter was different.

At most, she grew up!

She became lovesick!

She was 'snatched' by a pig!

But the young man who 'snatched' her seemed quite handsome, and his cultivation Realm had reached the Tribulation Transcendence Realm Ninth Revolution Peak Stage. He was a young man with good Martial Arts Talent. Moreover, that young man seemed to have a very close relationship with the Continent Lord. Was he the Continent Lord's second uncle?

As he thought about it, Huo Keng didn't know whether he should be happy or sad.

After passing through the Yunmeng Immortal Sect and parting ways with Yun Zhongjun, the flying ship continued south for another day, and the fiery red Southern Continent was distantly in sight.

"Report! Sect Master, Long Aotian, the Grand Palace Master of the Dragon Heaven Palace from the Eastern Desolate, has been waiting for your arrival in the Southern Continent for nearly five days."

As soon as Huo Keng's flying ship entered the Southern Continent, he received an urgent report from someone sent by the Sect to intercept his ship.

"What, the Continent Lord has come to our Southern Continent? Did Ruier return with him?"

"Reporting to Sect Master, Young Lord Ruier also returned. Also accompanying them are Saintess Feng Zixian from the Nine Heavens Immortal Palace, and another male Cultivator from the Eastern Desolate named Hua Bei."

"Hmm, this Sect Master understands. Return to the Sect at full speed, I will receive the guests!"

His daughter's sudden return made Huo Keng, who had been sad all the way, uncontrollably happy. As he ordered to return to the Sect at full speed, he couldn't help but wonder what Long Aotian wanted with him at the Holy Fire Sect.

It couldn't be as simple as just sending Huo Ruier back to the Holy Fire Sect, could it?!

Especially since Hua Bei, the one who supposedly 'snatched' his daughter, had also come. Huo Keng's heart suddenly vaguely thought of something... By the time the flying ship arrived at the Holy Fire Sect, it was late at night, and both parties agreed to meet the next day.

In fact, if it weren't for presenting the betrothal gifts, Long Aotian would have wanted to directly intercept Huo Keng's flying ship on the way, but that would have seemed too rude, so he waited in the Southern Continent for five or six days.

During this time, he spent two days upgrading the Chaos Burning Star Flame and one day improving his cultivation. He also took Fire Cloud as a subordinate, so it wasn't as if he gained nothing.

The next morning.

The highest-spec reception hall of the Holy Fire Sect:

The Holy Fire Hall!

Sect Master Huo Keng personally led the Holy Fire Sect's hundred strongest Grand Elders, hundred strongest Protectors, various Peak Masters, and eight Vice Sect Leaders to welcome Long Aotian.

The lineup was unprecedentedly strong, and the specifications were exceptionally high.

"Sect Master Huo, I believe you already know the purpose of my visit, so I won't beat around the bush! Please take a look at the betrothal gift list. If there's anything you're not satisfied with, it can still be modified!"

With that, Long Aotian added, "I need to clarify one point: this is not me using my power to oppress and forcibly seize a woman for my second uncle. Huo Ruier and my second uncle are deeply in love and devoted to each other, and Huo Ruier is already pregnant. I hope everyone will not break up a loving couple, and instead have the heart to wish them well!"

"..."

"What, my daughter is pregnant?"

"One hundred large quasi-Immortal Rank top-grade spirit ore veins? Hiss! These betrothal gifts–"

"What? One hundred large quasi-Immortal Rank top-grade spirit ore veins? Is this real or fake?"

"And ten Immortal Rank Magic Treasures of each grade from first to ninth, one hundred Immortal Rank breakthrough Medicinal Pills of each grade from first to ninth... Hiss!!"

"Is this the Continent Lord's style?"

"Are you sure what's written on this betrothal gift list is real?"

"Yes, are these really betrothal gifts? I've never seen such extravagant betrothal gifts before. It's enough to buy our entire Holy Fire Sect."

"..."

"Does the Continent Lord still lack women? The other eight Vice Sect Leaders and various Peak Masters of our Holy Fire Sect all have unmarried daughters, both of age and not yet of age. Does the Continent Lord want any?"

"Continent Lord, is your elder uncle married? Does he need a wife? There are plenty of girls in the Holy Fire Sect who are a little less prominent than Huo Ruier. You can let your elder uncle choose freely."

"Why choose? My granddaughter is the one!"

"Tsk! Old Man Li, your granddaughter is only thirteen, and you're so eager to marry her off? Continent Lord, please choose my granddaughter instead. She's already of age this year, she's beautiful, and has a big backside, good for having babies..."

"Old Man Wang, you're shameless!!"

"..."

"..."

Just as Huo Keng was shocked that his daughter was pregnant, the Holy Fire Hall erupted into chaos because of the betrothal gift list Long Aotian threw out.

These powerful core figures of the Holy Fire Sect went from being shocked by the immense betrothal gifts to scrambling to offer their daughters to Long Aotian, or even to Long Aotian's elder uncle or his clan uncles—they could pick whoever they wanted.

For a moment, Long Aotian was overwhelmed and almost couldn't handle it.

If Feng Zixian hadn't stepped in to save the day at the critical moment, Long Aotian might have truly succumbed to these passionate, eager-to-marry-off-their-daughters and eager-to-marry-off-their-granddaughters core figures of the Holy Fire Sect.

It wasn't just Old Man Li who was excessive, but also Old Man Zhang, Old Man Zhao, Old Man Sun, and others, who insisted on pushing their granddaughters onto Long Aotian even before they came of age.

Even more astonishing was that these old men were not vague; they directly called their granddaughters over. Each one was a fresh young beauty, scoring over ninety points, which left Long Aotian dumbfounded and made him swallow his saliva.

If Feng Zixian hadn't intervened in time, Long Aotian had no doubt these old men would have sent their granddaughters to his bed that very night. This also made Long Aotian leave the Southern Continent in a rather disheveled escape after presenting the betrothal gifts for Ge Bei.

The deed was done, his daughter was already pregnant, and coupled with Long Aotian's generous betrothal gifts, and a son-in-law with good Martial Arts Talent who was also handsome and, most importantly, treated his daughter well, Huo Keng agreed without hesitation.

Are you kidding? If he didn't agree, the next second many shameless old men in the Holy Fire Sect would stand up to marry off their granddaughters, directly snatching his son-in-law. How could he dare to disagree?

He didn't even dare to hesitate for too long!

Long Aotian was also straightforward, and the betrothal gifts were delivered directly.

This also meant that Huo Ruier and Hua Bei had officially received the approval of both sets of parents and were married.

The Martial Arts weddings on the Sky Ruins Continent were somewhat special; few people would hold a grand wedding like Long Aotian intended.

Their weddings involved presenting betrothal gifts. If the bride's parents accepted the gifts, it was equivalent to them already being married, and there was no need to hold any further wedding ceremony.

It was that simple!

After Huo Keng accepted the betrothal gifts, Hua Bei and Huo Ruier both expressed that they would not hold a wedding ceremony and would simply become husband and wife. Huo Keng had no objections to this; the decision to hold a wedding or not rested with the newly married couple.

Once matters in the Southern Continent were concluded, Long Aotian and his group swiftly returned to the Eastern Desolate.

Immediately after, the Eastern Desolate ushered in a shocking and world-altering upheaval...