Chapter 133: Grand Wedding -- I
Later that afternoon, Maren and Torin summoned Rhain and Seris to a quiet, peaceful courtyard near the sect’s herb garden.
On the stone table before them rested two lumps of fresh clay, a basin of water, and a set of fine-tipped brushes.
"What is this?" Rhain asked, looking at the clay with mild curiosity.
"This is the Lantern of Vows," Maren explained, "It is one of the most sacred pre-wedding customs in our land. Both the bride and groom must craft a lantern from clay with their own hands. On the surface of the lantern, you will write each other’s na."
She paused, pointing at the two brushes on the table.
"And then, on the inside of the lantern, you must each write a single wish that you desire for your future life together. But rember! You must absolutely not let each other know what your wish is until the marriage is completely finished."
Rhain and Seris exchanged a glance.
Both of them were eager to try it.
"Well then," Rhain said, stepping forward to the stone table. "Let’s begin."
They sat down side by side on the low bench, each pulling a lump of fresh clay toward them.
As they worked, their hands occasionally touched each other
Each ti their fingers touched, Seris would instinctively retract her hand like a frightened rabbit, her beautiful eyes darting away as a rosy blush painted her cheeks.
Rhain simply dipped his fingers into the basin and continued shaping his lantern, a quiet, indulgent smile playing at the corner of his lips.
After completing the complex motions of shaping the lanterns, it was ti to write their nas and vows.
Seris picked up the fine-tipped brush.
As she began to carefully paint her secret wish on the inner wall of the clay lantern, her face flushed.
Rhain leaned over slightly, his dark grey eyes attempting to catch a glimpse of what she was writing.
"You... You... You are trying to peek!"" Seris protested, angling her body away and shielding her clay with both arms.
"I wasn’t looking," Rhain quickly waved his hands back and forth, putting on an innocent expression
"You were! I saw your eyes move!"
"I was looking at a bird behind you."
"There’s no bird!"
"Hehe..." Maren’s face imdiately broke into a giggle.
Finally, after half an hour of ticulous work, both of them had successfully molded their clay lanterns and secretly carved their wishes inside.
"What do we do with these lanterns now?" Seris asked, her pale purple eyes looking at Maren.
"Now, you must keep these lanterns safe until the wedding day," Maren explained with a mysterious smile, "On the night of your ceremony, after all the wedding processions are completed, you and Rhain will light your lanterns together. Then, as husband and wife, you will walk to the river and set them afloat upon the water—sending your wishes to the heavens, so that the gods bless your union for eternity."
Seris hugged her lantern gently against her chest, "I’ll keep it safe."
Rhain looked at the sealed clay lantern in his own hand.
It was just a clay lantern, but even for him, it was more precious than all the treasures he had.
He carefully placed his lantern into his spatial ring for safekeeping.
Torin cleared his throat, his expression shifting to sothing more serious, "There is one more thing you both must know."
Both Rhain and Seris turned to face him.
"From this mont forward, until the wedding ceremony is complete, the bride and groom are not permitted to see each other.""
"Why?"
Both Rhain and Seris simultaneously widened their eyes and asked in surprise.
Maren suppressed her laugh as she spoke, "Because it is our ancient custom! After the lantern ritual is completed, the bride and groom are forbidden from eting each other until the wedding day. You must wait patiently for five days."
"Furthermore," Maren continued, her eyes sparkling with amusent as she looked at their reluctant faces. "it is our custom that the groom must go to the bride’s house to ceremonially bring her to the wedding. But since you both belong to the Azure Cloud Sect, Sect Master has already contacted the Graves family."
"Seris will go to the Graves family estate for the next five days, and then, on the wedding day, Rhain will ride over in a grand procession to bring her back."
Seris bit her lip, looking at Rhain with intense unwillingness.
Rhain’s brow also furrowed, an arc of helplessness forming at the edge of his lips.
A few days without seeing her right after they had confessed their feelings... this really felt like the maliciousness of this world.
But thinking of the beauty and charm of Seris waiting for him in her wedding dress, he opened his mouth and laughed heartily, "Alright! I will openly wed her ho with dignity and honor."
He turned to look at depressed Seris.
"It’s just five days," Rhain comforted her softly, though he himself looked entirely reluctant. "I will co to get you soon."
Seris held her lantern tightly to her chest. She took a step closer to Rhain, her pale purple eyes misty with reluctance.
"I’ll... I’ll see you in five days, Rhain," she whispered softly, and suddenly tippy-toed and lightly embraced him before hastily backing away, her face burning.
Reluctantly, she turned to follow Maren toward the carriage waiting to take her to the Graves family.
Watching their reluctant farewells, Torin laughed quietly, "Although he is our formidable Supre Elder, when it cos to love and marriage, he is really not much different than any ordinary eighteen-year-old."
Rhain stood completely still, his gaze fixed on the empty space long after she had vanished from his line of sight.
He then finally turned around and made his way back to his private courtyard.
For the next five days, Rhain spent the vast majority of his ti in strict seclusion.
He only ever stepped out of his room when Elder Maren ca knocking, dragging him out to asure him for ceremonial robes, confirming the layout of the grand procession, or verifying the list of guests.
It was a never-ending parade of tedious details.
Ti passed like this, slipping through his fingers day by day.
During these five days of relative peace, Rhain kept up with his daily routine.
[Daily Sign-In Reward: Uncommon-Grade Spirit-Cleansing Incense x1.]
[Daily Sign-In Reward: Uncommon-Grade Iron-Refining Paste x1.]
[Daily Sign-In Reward: Uncommon-Grade...
Five days. Five Daily Sign-Ins.
And every single one of them was strictly Uncommon-Grade.
Not a single Rare-Grade, let alone an Epic or Heaven-Grade item.
He had already suspected the reason behind this, but these five days confird his speculation.
System’s daily rewards weren’t random; they were directly tied to essence density of his location.
Even though Azure Cloud Sect was now flush with resources, the essence density of the Greymist Town was still incredibly thin.
And this realisation excited him.
If the rewards were strictly bound to the essence density, then the Inner Province was an absolute goldmine.
The chances are extrely high that his standard Daily Sign-Ins will reliably yield Rare-Grade, or perhaps even Epic-Grade rewards.
But for now, he kept the matter of Inner Province, and cultivation in the back of his head.
Today was the day of his wedding.
He walked up to the mirror in the corner of his room, and looked at his reflection.
He was dressed in a magnificent set of red and golden-colored ceremonial robes.
The vibrant colors perfectly contrasted with his sharp, handso features and dark, untad hair.
It softened the usual cold indifference in his deep grey eyes, making him look exceptionally dignified and stunningly handso.
His room, which had always been an ascetic space devoid of unnecessary luxury, had been completely upturned.
Red silk draped from the wooden beams.
Glowing essence lanterns covered in auspicious golden characters hung in every corner.
Maren and a dedicated group of female disciples had invaded his quarters at the crack of dawn, ticulously decorating the whole place.
"Rhain." At this mont, a voice ca from the door.
Rhain turned his head, and softly said, "Please co in, sect master."
Harmon stepped into the room.
He had also shed his usual, dull grey-white robes.
Today, he was draped in deep, vibrant blue robes trimd with silver, making him look several years younger and surprisingly spirited.
"You look like a proper groom, Rhain," Harmon said with a warm smile stretching across his face as he looked Rhain up and down.
"Sect Master," Rhain greeted politely.
"Everything is ready," Harmon spoke with a tone of unconcealed joy. "I have personally co to escort you to the Graves family estate to retrieve your bride."
He stepped back and gestured toward the open doorway, where the faint sounds of beating drums and joyous gongs were already beginning to echo from the courtyard outside.
"Let us go," Rhain nodded, an irrepressible smile breaking through his usual calm facade.
Seris must be waiting for him in Graves family.
The days of waiting has finally been over.
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