The final notes of the wedding drums still echoed through the grand hall.
Crimson lanterns swayed gently in the evening breeze, their warm light spilling over carved jade pillars and silk banners. The atmosphere, once tense enough to shatter, had finally begun to settle.
But for Lin Tianyu, this was not the end of the crisis.
It was only the beginning.
The marriage had been saved.
The alliance with the Mu Clan remained intact.
The system rewards had been secured.
And yet, the moment his eyes met the woman standing before him, he knew this chapter of his new life had just begun.
Mu Xue'er.
The bride.
The first woman fate had placed beside him.
Her silver hair cascaded over the crimson silk of her wedding robes like moonlight over fresh snow. Her cold blue eyes were calm, yet beneath that icy surface, he could still see the lingering hurt left by Lin Hao's public refusal.
She was breathtaking.
Not merely in beauty.
But in person.
A woman who carried dignity even after humiliation.
A woman who did not crumble.
That alone made Lin Tianyu's respect for her rise.
The guests began to disperse slowly, whispers following them like shadows.
"Did you see the patriarch?"
"He really took the bride himself …"
"The Lin Clan may rise again."
"The Mu Clan chose wisely."
Lin Tianyu ignored them.
He had lived one life under the weight of others' expectations.
This time, he would act according to his own judgement.
The Mu Clan patriarch, Mu Zhentian, stepped forward.
His frost-blue robes fluttered as his sharp eyes moved between Lin Tianyu and his daughter.
"Brother Lin," he said with a faint smile, "tonight's events were unexpected, but your decision preserved the dignity of both our clans."
Lin Tianyu cupped his fists politely.
"The Lin Clan will remember this goodwill."
Mu Zhentian nodded.
Then his gaze shifted toward Mu Xue'er.
"Daughter."
His voice softened.
"From this moment onwards, you are a member of the Lin Clan."
Mu Xue'er lowered her gaze and bowed lightly.
"Yes, Father."
The old man studied Lin Tianyu for a moment longer.
Then, with the Mu Clan elders, he turned and departed.
Soon, the grand hall emptied.
Only a few trusted Lin elders remained.
Lin Hao stood in the distance, his face pale and conflicted.
Lin Tianyu glanced at him briefly.
There was anger.
But also guilt.
The son was not evil.
Just immature.
Ambitious.
Blinded by an obsession with cultivation.
That would need to be dealt with later.
For now—
His attention returned to the woman beside him.
Mu Xue'er stood quietly, hands folded before her.
The silence between them stretched.
Finally, Lin Tianyu spoke.
"You may speak freely."
Her blue eyes lifted.
For the first time since the ceremony, he saw curiosity in them.
"You are different."
The words were simple.
But they carried weight.
Lin Tianyu smiled faintly.
"Different from what?"
She looked directly into his eyes.
"Different from the rumours."
Her voice was cool and smooth like flowing ice.
"They say Patriarch Lin is stern, ruthless, and speaks only in commands."
A soft pause.
"But tonight… You protected my dignity."
Lin Tianyu met her gaze steadily.
"In this world, dignity is often worth more than life."
The words made her eyes flicker.
He could almost feel her guard lowering.
The system chimed.
[Ding!]
[Mu Xue'er Favorability +10]
[Current Favourability: 30 / 100]
Interesting.
So the system tracked relationships too.
That would be useful.
Very useful.
The two began walking through the long corridor leading toward the inner courtyard of the Lin Clan estate.
Moonlight poured over polished stone pathways.
Lotus ponds shimmered under the night sky.
The silence between them no longer felt awkward.
Instead, it felt strangely peaceful.
Lin Tianyu broke it.
"The original arrangement was not meant to insult you."
Mu Xue'er's expression remained calm.
"I know."
That surprised him.
She continued walking, her voice low.
"Lin Hao's eyes have always been fixed on the heavens."
A faint, almost bitter smile touched her lips.
"I merely did not expect him to reject me before the entire city."
Lin Tianyu stopped.
So did she.
He turned toward her fully.
"For that, I apologise."
Her eyes widened slightly.
A patriarch apologising directly?
That was not something she had expected.
But this was not the old Lin Tianyu.
This was a man who had spent an entire lifetime regretting the things left unsaid.
This time, he would speak.
Mu Xue'er stared at him for a moment.
Then, slowly, she nodded.
"I accept."
The system chimed again.
[Ding!]
[Mu Xue'er Favorability +15]
[Current Favourability: 45 / 100]
Lin Tianyu almost laughed inwardly.
This woman was far more straightforward than he expected.
As they reached the entrance to the bridal chamber, the system panel suddenly flashed.
[Special Target Detect] ed]
Name: Mu Xue'er
Physique: Moon Frost Body
Cultivation: Core Formation – 7th Layer
Compatibility: Extremely High
Dual Cultivation Benefits: Major Realm Advancement
His heartbeat quickened.
So this was the true value of the first bride.
Not just a political alliance.
But cultivation.
The Moon Frost Body was an extremely rare physique.
In many cultivation stories, such physiques were heaven-defying.
And now—
She was his wife.
Mu Xue'er noticed the faint change in his expression.
Her cheeks coloured slightly.
The cool, composed Moon Frost Fairy suddenly looked far more human.
The chamber doors opened.
Warm candlelight spilt across the room.
Red silk curtains.
Golden incense burners.
A bed draped in crimson.
The scent of sandalwood filled the air.
Mu Xue'er paused at the doorway.
Her voice was soft.
"Patriarch…"
Lin Tianyu looked at her.
For the first time, there was vulnerability in those icy blue eyes.
"Will you… truly accept me?"
The question struck him harder than expected.
This woman, humiliated in public, still carried fear of rejection.
Lin Tianyu stepped closer.
His voice was steady.
"From this night onwards, no one in this world will ever humiliate you again."
Her eyes trembled.
The system chimed once more.
[Ding!]
[Mu Xue'er Favorability +20]
[Current Favourability: 65 / 100]
A powerful heroine.
A rare physique.
A political alliance.
And now—
a wife.
Lin Tianyu's eyes deepened.
This life was indeed going to be very different.
And somewhere in Azure Cloud City—
A certain Son of Heaven had just unknowingly lost the first woman fate had intended for him.