Chapter 147 - 146: Wedding in a Dream

Chapter 147: Chapter 146: Wedding in a Dream

"The newlyweds are here!"

Someone in the crowd shouted, and everyone turned to look as a beautiful couple slowly approached.

Gu Qingyin, dressed in a pristine white wedding gown, wore a blissful smile, but she mumbled, "Did you really pull everyone into a single dream?"

Huo Yunjing’s smile was exceptionally wide, completely devoid of his usual intimidating, stone-faced expression.

"Mhm, don’t worry. I know what I’m doing."

Gu Qingyin was skeptical. ’Does he really?’ But since it had come to this, she could only play along.

Hand in hand, the two walked through a heart-shaped archway and onto a small, makeshift stage where Huo Xinghai was already waiting with a microphone.

"The first part of the ceremony: exchanging the marriage certificate!" Huo Xinghai announced, clapping his hands with a solemn expression.

The next moment, Huo Xingchen came up carrying a tray. On it were the marriage certificate and a dagger.

A normal marriage certificate exchange would, at most, require a thumbprint in red ink. A Netherworld Marriage is different. A Netherworld Marriage must use the blood of the parties involved.

"Thank you for everything, my wife." Huo Yunjing swiftly cut his finger and pressed his print onto the certificate.

Gu Qingyin slit her finger as well and pressed it down.

In that mystical moment, the bond between her and Huo Yunjing grew even stronger.

Huo Yunjing grinned from ear to ear. He didn’t care whether it was proper etiquette or not; he snatched up the marriage certificate and tucked it into his clothes.

’From now on, this certificate is the most important thing to me, second only to my wife!’

Huo Xingchen gave a resigned smile, turned, and walked off the stage with the tray.

The guests below looked at each other in confusion. ’A wedding ceremony involves cutting your hands?’ Though they didn’t understand, they were all very supportive and offered up thunderous applause.

Once the applause died down a little, Huo Xinghai cleared his throat and continued with the proceedings. "Next, I would like to invite the current Family Head of the Huo Family, Huo Xingye, to the stage to give a speech!"

Huo Xingye also wore a rare, continuous smile. He took the microphone, first offering a very official thank you to all the guests in attendance, before finally letting his gaze fall upon the newlyweds—his parents.

"This is probably not a common sight," Huo Xingye said with a smile. "I’m deeply honored to be a witness at my parents’ wedding."

Hearing this, the people below couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"This wedding transcends time and space, life and death. This is the greatest charm of love."

Huo Xingye’s voice was soft but firm. "Mom, Dad, I wish you a lifetime of happiness together. And I wish for myself that I might one day find a love just like yours."

Gu Qingyin’s eyes reddened slightly, but she still smiled and said, "What’s so great about being like us? You should wish for yourself, and for Xinghai and Xingchen—I wish for all three of my sons—that you each find a love that is uniquely your own."

Huo Yunjing nodded in agreement. If he hadn’t gotten into that car accident all those years ago, he could have truly grown old with her, instead of this—where even their wedding had to be held in a dream.

But still... Huo Yunjing looked at Gu Qingyin. ’Her being able to return is already the best gift heaven could offer,’ he thought. ’I shouldn’t ask for more.’

At the side, Huo Xinghai’s eyes quietly reddened. He turned his back to wipe the corners of his eyes, then faced forward again to continue officiating. "And now, will the bride and groom please recite their wedding vows!"

"For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, I vow to walk by your side, through every storm, until the end of the world."

Gu Qingyin and Huo Yunjing looked at each other and spoke the final line in unison: "Not even death can do us part!"

They both couldn’t help but smile. Regardless of the other vows, they had already fulfilled the last one.

Huo Xinghai took a deep breath, trying his best to keep his voice steady. "Please exchange rings."

Huo Xingchen once again walked up with the tray. It was now filled with fresh flowers, and nestled in the center were two intertwined rings.

Gu Qingyin had just received her engagement ring last night, and tonight she was already getting her wedding ring. ’Is there anyone in the world who moves faster than me?’ she mused.

With that thought, she extended the hand that still wore the engagement ring.

Huo Yunjing took her hand and slipped on a diamond ring that could only be described as plain.

Gu Qingyin blinked. Her intuition told her it wasn’t that simple. She raised her hand to examine it closely and asked, "What is this?"

Huo Yunjing leaned in and whispered, "My ashes. I had them made into a diamond. Is it beautiful?"

Gu Qingyin was speechless.

’Beautiful!’

’She knew it! Huo Yunjing’s mind definitely worked differently from ordinary people! Who in the world makes a wedding ring from ashes?! Did he have to be so bizarre?!’

Huo Yunjing argued righteously, "This way, you can wear my ashes. Whenever you miss me, you can just touch it."

The corner of Gu Qingyin’s mouth twitched. "Couldn’t I just touch the pendant for the same reason?"

Huo Yunjing fell silent for a moment. "Isn’t it good to have another option?"

Gu Qingyin fought the urge to roll her eyes. "What about your ring? It’s not also made from your own ashes, is it?"

"Of course not!" Huo Yunjing said with disgust. "How messed up would it be to wear my own ashes? Mine is just a normal diamond ring, though it’s the same style as yours."

Gu Qingyin picked up the ring and placed it on Huo Yunjing’s hand, while frantically complaining in her head, ’So you *do* know it’s messed up!’

"The ceremony is complete!" Huo Xinghai announced loudly. "The groom may now kiss his bride!"

Just as Huo Yunjing lowered his eyes to kiss her, an uninvited guest abruptly appeared on the stage, forcing the kiss to a halt.

Gu Qingyin turned to look, her face filled with astonishment. "Dongfang Ran?!"

「Ten minutes earlier.」

As arranged with Old Madam Huo, Dongfang Ran arrived at the castle on time for her appointment. But as she drew near, she sensed a thick wave of ghost energy.

Upon inspection, she discovered that everyone in the entire estate had been pulled into the same dreamscape.

Dongfang Ran searched the castle for a long time before finally finding an opportunity to enter the dream. She resolutely plunged in.

Before entering, she had expected to see a sea of corpses and blood, to hear screams and wails everywhere, or perhaps a scene from some apocalyptic death match.

But she never, ever could have imagined that she would stumble into a warm and sweet wedding ceremony!

Dongfang Ran stood frozen on the spot, completely at a loss.

Gu Qingyin snapped back to her senses and smiled. "Since you’re here, why don’t you have a seat? The wedding is almost over."

Dongfang Ran looked at her with a complicated expression, then glanced at the beaming guests below. She opened her mouth, but found she couldn’t make a sound, so she could only nod.

Huo Xingye personally came on stage to escort Dongfang Ran to a seat among the guests. Before leaving, he warned her in a low voice, "I don’t care why you’re here, but do not ruin my parents’ wedding."

Dongfang Ran looked at him in shock. ’He’s lucid?!’

The living souls dragged into a dream are usually muddled and act entirely according to the will of the Dream Master.

For instance, right now, the Dream Master wants a perfect wedding where everyone has a good time, so the guests’ attention is focused entirely on the ceremony. As for other matters, even if they saw them, they wouldn’t pay them any mind.

’How can Huo Xingye remain lucid?’

Before Dongfang Ran could figure it out, Huo Xingchen walked over, sat down beside her, and greeted her with a broad smile, "Aunt Dongfang?"

Dongfang Ran looked up at him, and her heart skipped a beat. ’Another one who’s lucid?’

’Isn’t Huo Yunjing afraid the dreamscape will collapse and trap everyone inside?!’