A Phoenix Rising - An Untamed Story (Book 1 In Series)

Chapter 27

Jin Ling surveyed the Hall and the sea of cultivators milling about in it. The minor Sect leaders and staff were a seemingly unending stream walking through the center aisle. They would pause and salute him; as the head of a major Sect, he held a higher rank than all of them even though he was far younger than all of them. So his salutes back were more like acceptance of fealty than a salute of a junior to a senior. But at long last there was a pause and the minor Sect leaders cleared the aisle.

"The QingheNie Sect! Nie HuaiSang!"

Jin Ling saluted first; regardless of his Sect's higher position, it never hurt to placate an elder. Especially an elder that he really wanted to be on his side... and the side of his uncles.

"The YunMengJiang Sect! Sandu Shengshou, Jiang WanYin! Wen Qing!"

Both Jing Ling and Nie HuaiSang saluted the new couple; the noise in the Hall died down as cultivators' mouths dropped open, either in shock that the notorious Wen healer was alive or that she was married into the Jiang Sect. Or both. Nie HuaiSang was smiling as he expressed his congratulations to the new bride. He, of course, knew of the marriage within an hour of the ceremony.

"The GusuLan Sect! ZeWu-Jun, Lan XiChen! Li MeiLi!"

Now even Nie HuaiSang's mouth gaped open in shock as the newest couple, still in their bridal finery, entered the Hall. More than one feminine voice (joined by a few of their fathers) called out variations of 'no!' and 'impossible!' as their hopes at marrying the handsome sect leader were dashed to pieces.

"Congratulations LanGe, Madame Li," Nie HuaiSang saluted.

"Thank you," Lan XiChen saluted back, beaming with pride and happiness. "Li MeiLi, this is Sect leader Nie HuaiSang. Nie HuaiSang, my wife, Li MeiLi." The phrase 'my wife' sent shivers of anticipation and lust racing up and down his spine. She nodded, blushing prettily at her new status.

"The YilingWei Sect! The Yiling Patriarch, Wei WuXian! HanGuang-Jun, Lan WangJi!"

Sect Leader Yao strode out to the center aisle before the newest Sect leaders could proceed very far into the room and yelled, "How dare you claim to be the most powerful Sect!"

Wei WuXian stood his ground in the face of the blustering oaf. "How would you define 'the most powerful Sect'? By cultivation ability? HanGuang-Jun and I are easily the most powerful cultivators here. Or would you define it by the number of disciples? Demon's Lair has over two thousand senior disciples registered. And almost four hundred junior disciples." He paused to let that sink in.... Even at its height, the QishanWen Sect had had fewer senior disciples than that. LanLingJin now had just over half that number. The QingheNie had less than a quarter. Lan SiZhui took advantage of the pause to rush forward and take his new siblings to stand among the rest of the Lan disciples. "Would you prefer to define it by political power? HanGuang-Jun and I now have familial ties to and the backing of three of the major Sects and all of the pardoned Wen should they decide to reform the QishanWen Sect. I dare to claim the YilingWei Sect is the most powerful here because that is the truth!"

Sect Leader Yao's mouth gaped wide in astonishment at Wei WuXian's audacity. His hand raised up to point an accusing finger at the younger man and was ready to start a blistering tirade when the Hall doors opened and a figure in blue strode in. Lan QiRen was one of the few in the region who was powerful enough to override Jin Ling's instructions to the guards.

"Wei WuXian!" Lan QiRen thundered in his best and most formidable school teacher voice. "You arrogant pup!" Wei WuXian's eyes narrowed and his hand clenched harder on Suibian's sheath. Lan WangJi stepping sideways to stand shoulder to shoulder with him gave him the strength to stay quiet. "If I had known that helping you obtain a Core would lead to this, I would never have allowed it to happen!" The guests in the room who had been talking softly among themselves all of a sudden fell silent at this admission. "I do not understand why I allowed you to marry into my family!"