Chapter 77: No Wonder He Was Born into the Grand Capital Opera Troupe

The ability to shout those words just now was thanks to the Sword Emperor beside him; with his own strength, he wouldn’t have managed to project his voice so far.

Inside the carriage, luxury was everywhere. The carpet was fashioned from the pelts of high-level beasts—soft to the touch and exuding a faint, refreshing fragrance.

Tong Ge appeared young, probably only eighteen, with a certain innocence in his demeanor. The golden crown upon his head was a symbol of power; to be precise, anyone connected to the royal family could wear a golden crown.

Tong Ge's aunt was a noble consort, granting the Tong family the privilege of donning golden crowns. The younger generation especially adored them; wearing one in public was a mark of honor, as if their faces were gilded, compelling all to bow in respect.

At this moment, Tong Ge gazed intently at the Sword Emperor beside him, his heart a little uneasy. To say there were no Sword Emperors in Taijing was not quite true.

But to invite one was no easy feat. Those who reached the rank of Sword Emperor were notoriously proud, and most of them gathered within the Tianluo Academy—the most enigmatic force in Taijing.

No matter how powerful a family might be, none dared provoke Tianluo Academy, where even an ordinary sweeper was likely a Sword Emperor.

As for the headmaster, rumor had it he was of the Sword Saint level—capable of destroying heaven and earth. In all of Taijing, the number of Sword Saints could be counted on one hand.

The Sage was one such figure.

“Today, I must trouble you once more, Senior,” Tong Ge said, bowing respectfully. After all, he was no fool; in Taijing, fools did not live long.

“Don’t worry, it’s a trivial matter,” replied the man sitting cross-legged beside him, his expression calm and unremarkable, radiating the aura of a Sword Emperor.

Tong Ge felt reassured by these words. A mere county town—today, he would trample it beneath his feet!

The thought of his beloved woman marrying another made him uneasy. He remembered how Mu’er had hinted to him before that she was already enamored. Yet after just a few days apart, when he went to the Yan family seeking her, the news he received nearly sent him into a rage.

Without hesitation, he gathered his brothers and stormed over to snatch the bride.

One could not deny that Yan Mu’er had always known how to win a man’s heart, keeping her options open. She deliberately hinted at affection to Tong Ge, yet never mentioned marriage, intending to incite him to come and steal her away.

Why didn’t Yan Mu’er simply speak out?

On one hand, she wanted revenge against the Ye family; their schemes had targeted her, and during the bride-snatching, she would surely subject the Ye family to severe humiliation.

Moreover, Tong Ge’s act of stealing the bride would cause a sensation in Taijing, making her, as the victim, the recipient of the city’s sympathy and raising her reputation sky-high.

It was a well-crafted plan, but Yan Mu’er hadn’t foreseen encountering a cat demon on the road—a cat capable of transforming into human form, leading to her untimely demise.

At this moment, the three white-plumed horses had arrived above the wedding ceremony, their imposing presence casting a heavy mood over all.

Yet Yan Mu’er felt a bit vexed; after pulling the carriage all night, some aura had leaked. While humans might not notice, beasts certainly would!

Though the white-plumed horses were not demons, they were still Xuan-class beasts. When encountering powerful demon-kind, they would display gestures of submission!

For example, bowing with their front hooves to show respect.

If these three horses knelt, everyone here would be under suspicion—beasts only bow to demon-kind!

This was a scene Yan Mu’er wished to avoid, so—before the white-plumed horses could make any such movement, she released a peculiar aura, detectable only by beasts.

Yet Ye Li, nearby, frowned slightly, sensing Yan Mu’er was up to something, though she had no concrete evidence.

What tricks was that sly fox playing!

Ye Yushu and Dongfang Shuang surveyed the crowd below, feeling a sense of satisfaction, as if holding everyone’s fate in their hands—a feat not dared in Taijing.

However, just then, the white-plumed horses beneath them suddenly grew restless!

Whinnying furiously, they let out earth-shaking cries, as if terrified, their eyes wide with fear.

Ye Kun had expected the other side to make grand declarations, but unexpectedly, trouble arose before anything began—their mounts were acting up.

How was Kun supposed to maintain composure and negotiate under such circumstances?

Yuan Zhen couldn’t help but remark, “Honestly, I suspect they’re here to liven up the wedding’s climax.”

“I feel the same,” murmured Feng Dian, for overhead, a performance of man-and-horse separation was unfolding.

The three white-plumed horses struggled madly, circling above the ceremony like actors from a county troupe.

Someone in the crowd shouted, “Bravo!” and another echoed the sentiment, followed by enthusiastic applause. The performance was impressive—even the white-plumed horses were involved. The Ye family must have gone to great lengths. People truly believed it was Taijing's elite coming for the bride, but it was all just a show.

The Ye family certainly knew how to entertain—they’d given everyone a fright.

Ye Ming turned to look at Dongmen Meng, as if to ask, “Was this your surprise?”

Dongmen Meng rolled her eyes in exasperation, indicating she was clueless about the situation.

Ye Kun gazed skyward, exhaling softly, a deep sense of helplessness rising within him.

White-plumed horses were favored by the nobility not only for their pure appearance, but also for their gentle and docile nature.

Even children could ride them with ease.

These three riders had only just reached the rank of Sword Adept—far from mastering flight. Only a Sword Emperor could battle in the skies.

Dongfang Shuang and Ye Yushu had been feeling quite pleased, but now, hearing the applause and cries of approval from below, resentment welled up within them!

These low-born people actually regarded them as performers! Never before had they suffered such humiliation!

The two soon grew dizzy from the wild spinning, entirely unaccustomed to such frantic circling, both on the verge of vomiting.

Lacking the ability to fly, they plummeted straight down. Fortunately, as Sword Adepts, they survived the fall without broken bones.

Their landing point was right in the midst of the crowd.

Suddenly, Dongfang Shuang and Ye Yushu realized the commoners below seemed rather endearing. If only someone dared catch them, they’d spare their lives!

The people looked up, expecting the pair to perform a routine landing—troupes sometimes did so, though never from such a height.

So—

Everyone scattered, giving them space to land.

Two loud thuds.

All were stunned! For the first time, they’d seen someone land headfirst!

How impressive!

If there was no applause now, it would surely do injustice to their performance!

“Bravo!”

“You’re the most amazing I’ve ever seen!”

“No wonder Taijing’s troupes are so incredible!”

Ye Yushu and Dongfang Shuang lay with their heads on the ground, limbs splayed in bizarre poses, as if flaunting themselves.