During the life of Aidan Valerius, Lie Valerius's position in the clan was virtually indisputable. Even the Clan Leader of that time treated him with the highest honor. This stemmed from a simple fact: Aidan possessed a talent that occurred once in several generations, offering nearly a hundred percent certainty that he would one day become one of the most powerful experts in the entire Silver Wind Empire.
In this harsh world, where cultivators risk their lives daily to expand their energy channels by even a millimeter, respect always flows toward those with real power. As the father of such a brilliant son, Lie Valerius enjoyed universal prestige, and no one dared cross his path.
However, after Aidan's tragic death, the situation changed drastically. Kaelen was born with crippled Ether Veins, which in the eyes of the clan was not only a tragedy but a disgrace that cast a shadow over the previous merits of this family branch. Although Lie Valerius remains the strongest warrior in all of Skybright Fortress, in the brutal logic of the clan, he has become a man without a future. With his son dead and his only grandson a disabled "good-for-nothing," Lie has no one to pass his knowledge or position to, causing his status in the clan hierarchy to suffer a catastrophic collapse.
Lie Valerius did not respond with anger to the cynical barbs thrown his way at the wedding table. Over the last sixteen years, he had grown all too accustomed to the wordplay and venomous gazes of his cousins. With his characteristic, somewhat indifferent smile - one that hid years of pain and disappointment - he thanked the gathered Elders for attending the ceremony. He encouraged them to spare no wine or food, for today was meant to be a celebration, not another occasion for clan feuds.
The Third Elder abruptly pushed back his chair; the screech of sandalwood on the jade floor tore through the solemn silence like a knife. He straightened up, ostentatiously brushing invisible dust from his luxurious robes, and looked at Lie Valerius with a gaze full of superiority.
"My presence here is payment enough for all past favors, Lie," he announced gruffly, indifferent to the fact that the entire hall could hear him. "I see no reason to waste another minute here."
Lie Valerius raised his eyebrows, holding a goblet of wine. "The feast has only just begun, Third Elder. Is the Selwyns' food not worthy of your palate?"
"The food is fine, but time has its price," the Elder huffed, then smiled mockingly, glancing at Kaelen. "My grandson, Chengzhi, has just broken through to the seventh level of the Elementary Realm. Do you understand? The seventh level at such a young age! I must return home immediately to personally oversee the stabilization of the ether in his veins. Real talent requires care, and I cannot allow it to be wasted here while we celebrate the success of someone who... well, someone who will never break through the foundations of cultivation."
A deathly silence fell over the room. Guests exchanged knowing looks, and some of the younger generation of the Valerius clan snorted with muffled laughter.
Though Lie Valerius was famous for his iron discipline, this time a clear, concentrated anger etched itself onto his face, which he could not fully hide beneath his mask of indifference. Just a few years ago, his four brothers had treated him with almost reverent respect. But from the moment of Aidan's death and the official confirmation of Kaelen's crippled veins, their attitude had worsened every year until they eventually stopped pretending to be polite altogether.
Usually, they limited themselves to boasting about their grandsons during family dinners. But today, in the middle of his own grandson's wedding hall, they flaunted the achievements of their offspring without a shadow of fear or shame, deliberately clawing at the deepest wounds in the old warrior's heart.
The atmosphere became so thick it could be cut with a knife. Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, the master of ceremonies, Valerius DeGe, hurriedly tried to finish the ritual, calling out in a shrill, unnaturally high voice:
"Bride and groom, please proceed to the bridal chamber! Distinguished guests, please enjoy the feast!"
Amidst the roar of gongs and the rhythmic pounding of drums, the couple - on whom hundreds of envious and curious eyes were focused - finished their official bows and moved toward Kaelen's courtyard.
The wedding chamber was in the room where the boy lived daily, but it had been completely transformed and decorated in scarlet. The carpet on the floor featured intricate embroideries of a dragon and phoenix soaring on clouds, symbolizing the prosperity of their union. The room was bathed in red silk and the glow of two massive candles that burned brightly between gold lamps, casting flickering shadows of carved mythical creatures onto the walls. This soft, misty light reflected off the glass screens, isolating them completely from the noise of the main hall and giving the interior a dreamy, almost ethereal hue.
Selyna's maid helped her sit on the edge of the bed before withdrawing from the room without a word, quietly closing the door and leaving them alone. A sudden, heavy silence fell over the chamber, broken only by their muffled breaths. Selyna sat motionless and silent, resembling a statue made of the finest porcelain. Kaelen did not approach her; instead, he stood by the door, staring into the night outside with a distinct shadow in his eyes.
"Your grandfather was not respected during your wedding. You must be truly upset, aren't you?"
Selyna's soft, crystal-clear voice reached Kaelen's ears, and the expression on his face changed instantly. Though her words hit a sore spot and stung, he simultaneously felt a surge of wonder that she - so haughty and inaccessible - had taken the initiative to speak to him.
Kaelen glanced in her direction, trying to remain calm, and said hesitantly: "You can take off that phoenix crown now. It's certainly too heavy, and if you wear it too long, it will become quite uncomfortable."
According to the tradition of the Silver Wind Empire, the groom should remove the bride's crown. But Kaelen still remembered the icy sting he felt when he tried to help her earlier at the carriage. He was too proud to risk another humiliation, and besides, he didn't think such a cold person as Selyna would even allow him to approach and touch such a personal part of her attire.
After a short pause, Selyna slowly raised her hands and silently removed the phoenix crown, placing it on the bed. In that same moment, a face so flawless appeared in Kaelen's field of vision that he literally lost his breath. When she raised her enchanting eyes and met his gaze, Kaelen was stunned. That pair of indescribable, magnificent eyes seemed to hold the very essence of the world; neither the most talented painter nor the richest vocabulary could do justice to the sight.
Her skin had the luster of the purest jade, and her face was as white as fresh snow, which in the dimmed red light of the room gave her an almost supernatural expression. Selyna's lips resembled the most delicate flower petals, and her nose, high and proud, seemed carved from white marble, emphasizing her innate, royal nobility.
"Your reputation certainly precedes you," Kaelen muttered under his breath, measuring her with a gaze that didn't blink. The infinite depth in her eyes commanded his attention with such force that he struggled to focus on anything else in the chamber.
Although their marriage had been arranged before their birth, Kaelen - aside from sporadic meetings in early childhood - was seeing her for the first time since he was ten. This was because Selyna rarely left the Selwyn clan home, and the disabled Kaelen, consumed by a low self-esteem that had curdled into a deep inferiority complex, avoided places where he might encounter her.
Until now, he had known her only through rumors. Though he had imagined her beauty in his heart after hearing she had grown into a peerless beauty, the reality hit him with the force of a thunderbolt. The shadowy figure of his illusions vanished in a split second; Selyna's charm exceeded all boundaries of his imagination. Even he, carrying memories from two different worlds, forgot his plans and ambitions for a moment.
Selyna was called the most beautiful woman in Skybright Fortress, but if anyone had told him now that she was number one in the entire Silver Wind Empire, Kaelen would not have found a single argument to deny it. The girl sitting before him was only sixteen. Though the body is not yet fully developed at that age, Kaelen couldn't even imagine what would happen to her beauty in a few years - he suspected it would reach a level that could only be called transcendent.
He could not believe that someone whose every move and smile could move the foundations of the world had been born in such a small, forgotten town. The realization that this girl had become his wife today made him seriously doubt the authenticity of his own reality for a moment.
Selyna looked at him searchingly, and after a moment, her lips moved, uttering words that completely surprised him:
"And you... you are definitely not who the rumors say you are, nor who I imagined you to be."