Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy

HOOOONK—

The somber and prolonged sound of the horn echoed throughout the entire city.

The seventh day of the seventh month! The grand bridal procession!

In the vast, ancient, and grim Dead Spirit City, weathered and decaying.

Countless blood-red, dazzlingly vibrant silk ribbons hung in every corner of the streets and alleys. Swaying in the wind, they resembled clouds of blood.

Long tables, crafted from dark, heavy coffin wood, were neatly arranged on every street throughout the city.

Rows of eager Demons, devils, and peculiar spirits who had come to freeload and witness the ceremony took their seats. Saliva drooled incessantly from their mouths, and the dense, fetid stench they emitted could cause splitting headaches from kilometers away.

In the heart of the capital, the Youming Royal Mansion.

The incredibly lavish decorations made this royal mansion seem like a different world compared to its usual state; lanterns hung high, casting a red glow upon the ground.

Chillingly grim, yet festively bustling.

Two utterly incompatible atmospheres intertwined, creating a strangely demonic beauty.

At the mansion's entrance stood neat rows of pallid, emaciated figures—ushers with stiff smiles, their heads bobbing ceaselessly like toys. Their gazes were hollow, their voices shrill. They bowed incessantly, each bend of the waist so precise it seemed measured by calipers, impeccably uniform.

Inside the mansion, a group of musicians with rigid, wooden expressions listlessly played their instruments.

The sounds of suonas, drums, and gongs rose and fell.

Yet, though the music was meant to be exceedingly festive, when played by these individuals, it evoked an inexplicable chill and made one's skin crawl.

The decor and arrangements inside the mansion were clearly far more opulent than the simple long tables outside.

The tables in the courtyard were filled with people, but their faces could not be seen clearly. One could only vaguely sense a crowd of well-dressed men, women, old, and young.

These people constantly whispered amongst themselves, yet, strangely, not the slightest sound could be heard.

And in the main wedding hall.

Only a dozen or so Demons, each with a distinct aura and a calm expression, were seated.

These Demons all possessed Blood-Stained Realm Cultivation. Compared to ordinary Demonic Evil Cultivators, their auras were pure, vast, and unadulterated. A divine light seemed to flicker within their eyes, and their demeanor was composed.

Clearly, they all hailed from the sects of Great Demons or Devil Heads. They were not mere inferior demons or crippled devils.

Among them, a woman with a proud figure, dressed in a plain white gown, her long black hair cascading down to her shapely hips, was the most eye-catching. Simply by sitting there, she involuntarily drew the gazes of those around her. It was as if she possessed a peculiar magnetism that was impossible to resist.

This woman was the Seventh Princess of Green Mulberry Country, Green Mulberry Yuer.

Green Mulberry Country bordered Yin Tian Nation.

With the daughter of the King of Yin Tian Nation marrying, the other seven nations naturally had to make a gesture, each sending their heirs or disciples to attend the ceremony. Even Blood Tu Nation and Myriad Vine Nation, usually at odds, sent two disciples each. They more or less had to give some face to King Yintian, a Dao Expert.

At the head of the main hall, a tall and imposing figure, clad in a black-gold Dragon Patterned Robe and wearing a crown, sat upon a purple jade throne. He was like an eternal, majestic mountain, radiating an aura of dominance. This was the sovereign of Yin Tian Nation.

King Yintian, one of the Eight Great Dao Body Realm Sovereigns of Divine Sorrow Ridge!

"The wedding begins! Beat the drums, play the music, and welcome the newlyweds!" the portly matron of honor, dressed in a bright red gown, her face powdered white and lips starkly black, holding a bouquet, announced in a shrill, stiff voice from the side of the hall.

Instantly, the sounds of suonas and gongs grew boisterous. Red silk billowed throughout the entire mansion. Strings of red lanterns were hung, casting an ominous, blood-red glow.

CRACKLE! POP! Sounds erupted, scattering countless tiny red paper shreds.

A wide red carpet unrolled on its own, stretching from within the mansion all the way to the main courtyard hall.

CLIP-CLOP—

The unhurried clopping of hooves sounded. Atop a tall, sturdy steed whose eyes were covered with red cloth, sat a graceful figure in a red wedding gown. A red bridal veil concealed her face, her body swaying with the horse's gait, occasionally revealing tantalizing glimpses of fair skin.

At this beautiful sight, all the men present tacitly lowered their heads, averting their gazes, not daring to look at this exquisitely beautiful and radiant figure.

To sneak a peek at King Yintian's most beloved daughter right under his nose? That was purely like carrying a lantern into the latrine—courting death!

Behind Xia Houlian, a sedan chair carried by sixteen bearers slowly advanced. Sixteen tall, mountain-ously built dark figures shouldered the sedan, each step exceedingly heavy, firm, and powerful.

Inside the sedan chair, Ge Ping's eyes were tightly shut, a line of purple-black Talisman Scripts pasted on his face. His six senses were obstructed, his five senses sealed. He was like a wooden puppet, utterly motionless.

"The newlyweds have arrived! Offer congratulations!" the matron of honor's shrill voice rang out again.

In the Youming Royal Mansion, all the guests, aside from King Yintian himself, rose to their feet, their attention fixed on the arrival of the couple.

The bride dismounted. Her red veil fluttered as she walked forward and gently lifted the sedan chair's curtain. Ge Ping, his senses sealed, allowed her to take his hand and lead him out.

When the groom appeared, the dozen or so Ranxue Jing Yaomo attending the wedding feast immediately fixed their gazes on him.

Previously, they had only heard that the Princess of Yin Tian Nation was to marry a Human Cultivator. But as for his specific identity, they had no information. Only today was his true appearance revealed.

"This aura… is he a disciple of the Shenxiao Sect?" Green Mulberry Yuer murmured thoughtfully after a moment's observation, a trace of surprise in her eyes.

The Shenxiao Sect. An ancient, renowned orthodox sect. Its members were valiant and martial, excelling in Thunder Magic, causing countless Demonic Evil Cultivators to tremble with fear and flee at the mere rumor of their presence.

To think the Princess of Yin Tian Nation was actually marrying a disciple of the Shenxiao Sect. Moreover, judging by the strength of his aura, he was clearly a True Disciple.

"It truly is. King Yintian has some nerve, daring to abduct someone from the Shenxiao Sect to be his son-in-law. Isn't he afraid those Thunder Cultivators will come knocking at his door?"

"He's just one Personal Disciple. The Shenxiao Sect probably won't launch a full-scale war over him. Besides, our Divine Sorrow Ridge has the Eight Great Dao Body Realm Sovereigns presiding, and also…"

"Although the Shenxiao Sect is an ancient orthodox sect, it has weathered countless ages and is long past its golden era."

"True. The Human Race itself isn't a monolith. To wage war against our Divine Sorrow Ridge for a single Personal Disciple? Unless their Supreme Sect Leader has lost his mind."

"Heh heh heh… Still, for a disciple of a great orthodox sect to become the son-in-law of us Demons and Monsters, that's quite a loss of face for the Shenxiao Sect."

The assembled Demons whispered amongst themselves, discussing in low tones. Their words implied a foregone conclusion: Ge Ping would obediently remain in Yin Tian Nation of Divine Sorrow Ridge and take his place as the royal son-in-law.

Meanwhile, Xia Houlian, leading Ge Ping by the hand, had walked along the blood-red carpet to the front of the main hall.

Rows of emaciated figures, playing suonas with swaying heads, performed the celebratory music. Gusts of cold wind swirled, carrying flurries of red flower petals that filled the air with a sweet, refreshing fragrance.

In this atmosphere, both beautifully romantic and faintly sinister, the portly matron of honor moved to one side and cried out loudly:

"First bow, to Heaven and Earth!"

Standing side by side, Xia Houlian and Ge Ping slowly turned and bowed deeply towards the entrance of the great hall.

At this moment, Ge Ping, whose five senses and six consciousnesses were sealed, felt his eyelids twitch. He seemed to be trying to break the seals on his body, but it was obvious that his strength was far inferior to that of the spellcaster. He could only watch helplessly as his body performed actions against his will.

As Xia Houlian and Ge Ping completed their bow and straightened up, high above in the main hall, a golden basin filled with surging blood-water, its sides etched with countless ancient, malevolent patterns and topped with a bizarre nether flower, trembled slightly. The blood-water within swirled slowly, as if brewing something.

"Second bow, to the Elders in the High Hall!"

Turning around, Xia Houlian and Ge Ping once again bowed slowly towards King Yintian, who was seated above.

At this instant, the blood-water in the golden basin boiled even more violently, and a Divine Marvel of a bronze lock, resembling two hands with fingers tightly clasped, emerged from it. Instantly, innumerable rays of light burst forth from the lock. In the unseen realm, it was as if the figures of a deeply enamored couple embraced in the void, a captivating sight.

"The Unchanging Heart Lock of Unity?" Muttering the name, Green Mulberry Yuer's gaze sharpened. "Has this Princess of Yin Tian Nation truly fallen in love?"

The Unchanging Heart Lock of Unity. A secret Magic Artifact of the Azure Mulberry Fox Clan. Once the ritual to awaken the Magic Artifact is completed, it can eternally bind the love threads of two individuals of opposite sexes. However, to activate this Magic Artifact, one of the two individuals must sacrifice one-third of their lifespan. And once this Magic Artifact is successfully awakened and the love threads are linked, not even a Primordial Spirit Boss could reverse it. The two whose love threads are bound will love each other eternally. Even if they reincarnate, they will be drawn by the unseen threads of affection to reunite once more.

Recalling King Yintian's recent visit to Green Mulberry Country, Green Mulberry Yuer nodded thoughtfully. It seems King Yintian's visit to our Green Mulberry Country last time was precisely to ask Mother for this Unchanging Heart Lock of Unity. This Princess of Yin Tian Nation is truly infatuated. To make this Shenxiao Sect Personal Disciple fall in love with her, she's actually willing to sacrifice a third of her lifespan. Truly, of all the words in this world, only 'love' is the most wounding.

"Third bow, husband and wife to each other!"

Following the matron of honor's final cry, Xia Houlian and Ge Ping faced each other and slowly bowed.

Once this bow was completed, the ritual for the Unchanging Heart Lock of Unity would be entirely finished. Then, no matter how unwilling or resentful Ge Ping might be, under the influence of the love threads, he would fall deeply in love with Xia Houlian and remain by her side for all eternity.

But just as Ge Ping, his eyes tightly shut, wept tears of blood, his consciousness desperately struggling against his restraints,

BOOM—

A terrifying thunderclap, as if to tear the sky asunder, descended, its brilliance illuminating the entire Dead Spirit City.

A vast Sea of Thunder, stretching for hundreds of miles, surged and roared, unleashing an endless deluge of golden, destructive lightning, as if intent on razing this city of the wrongly dead to the ground!

The dazzlingly brilliant lightning even pierced through the void itself. Terrifying black holes littered the Sky Dome, as if the heavens and earth were on the verge of annihilation.

"Shenxiao Thunder Skill?!"

Hearing this heaven-shattering, immense thunder sound, everyone in the Youming Royal Mansion abruptly stood up, their expressions grave.

Demons and Monsters, Demonic Evil Cultivators, Fierce Ghosts. Who among them did not fear Heavenly Thunder?

BANG!

The main gates of the Youming Royal Mansion exploded inward. Amidst the billowing dust and smoke, a young Daoist in black robes, his features handsome yet imbued with a wicked charm, strode boldly into everyone's sight.

"Qi Xiu, Personal Disciple of the Shenxiao Sect, has come today to pay respects to King Yintian!"