Chapter 363: Wedding Procession

Through the live-stream provided by the leader of Gu Xiqiao’s fanclub, the netizens were given the chance to witness how glamorous the scene actually was. Their eyes were glued onto the screen of their phones, awaiting new updates from the club leader. Of course, what they were looking forward to most was seeing Gu Xiqiao arrive.

Although they weren’t there in person, they were nonetheless thrilled to see such photos. Most of them held their breaths in anticipation to see who else was attending Gu Xiqiao’s wedding ceremony. After all, the ones who had already arrived were all big fishes of their own pond, be it of politics, the corporate world, or the military.

Essential figureheads from all across the globe were condensed into a single point due to this banquet.

Some of the top-dog financial analysts were surprised to see that they had a full house today. Apart from those who they kept seeing on the national television channel, they couldn’t recognize who the rest of the attendees were. This fact made them incredibly uneasy.

The people on both sides of table 4 were merely sitting there in silence. Despite how it looked, there was an indescribable sense of terror that lingered in the air. From what they got from Gu Xiqiao’s announcement that was made days ago, the regular humans couldn’t help but wonder if these guys were the mythical people from the supernatural world.

Such thoughts made them sit upright and avert their gaze out of fear of upsetting them.

Upstairs, Gu Xiqiao sat in the break room. Standing behind her was a relatively young woman. With a mascara brush in hand, she was planning to apply it onto Gu Xiqiao’s eyelashes but the moment she shut her eyelids, it became apparent that there was no need to do so. Gu Xiqiao’s lashes were already perfect as they were. She paused for a moment before letting out a sigh. “Gu, your lashes are already dense enough and long enough.”

In the end, she helped Gu Xiqiao apply a thin, subtle layer of eye-shadow. “Gu, your face can be used as a textbook-example for us makeup artists. No wonder Director Cheng keeps repeating that god is presenting you with a life of free-meals.”

As a world-renowned makeup artist, her taste was far superior to that of your average Jane. Just one glance at the shape of Gu Xiqiao’s face was enough for her to conclude that no matter what style they chose to go with, it would all suit her perfectly, just like a mould.

Gu Xiqiao’s only response was a slight smile.

She seemed relatively calm, completely unlike a person who was getting married. The makeup artist was slightly puzzled by this but she chose not to ask too much about it. It didn’t take long before the makeup session came to an end.

The makeup artist stood to one side, ogling at her own creation which was so amazing that it made her jaw-drop.

Gu Xiqiao on the other hand did not spare her any attention. Instead, she was communicating with Jiji through her mind.

“How’s your research coming along, Jiji?”

Jiji’s body appeared in her consciousness [Beauty Qiao, the underground evil aura has started fluctuating. I am not sure if this can go on any longer.] It’s been such a long time since Jiji spoke in such a somber tone.

“Can we wait until me and Brother Jiang arrive?”

[Beauty Qiao, this is the final mission being issued by the System.] Jiji placed the tablet down. Looking up and staring straight into Gu Xiqiao’s eyes, it continued, [I don’t know how long the ancient martial arts world and these regular humans can hold out.]

“If so…” Gu Xiqiao leaned against the back of her chair. Rubbing her chin, she remained in that position for a brief moment before Xiao Yun and the rest of her friends entered the room.

“Er Qiao, aren’t you taking a bit too long…” She came in with the intention to urge Gu Xiqiao to hurry up but before she could finish her sentence, she stood there, completely frozen as if she had turned into a block of ice.

Gu Xiqiao turned around when she heard Xiao Yun’s voice. It was at this moment that Xiao Yun truly understood what the word “breath-taking” meant. Despite having been friends with Gu Xiqiao for so long, she was still taken aback by how beautiful she was.

The people behind her were about to ask what the matter was when Xiao Yun suddenly froze up until they saw Gu Xiqao with their own eyes. The words they were about to say were stuffed back into their mouths.

“Time to head downstairs.” In the end, it was Xiao Yun who snapped back into reality first. After all, she was Gu Xiqiao’s bridesmaid for the day. “I fear that if you stay here any longer, Mister Jiang would proceed to freeze the guests to death.”

Hearing Xiao Yun’s voice brought Gu Xiqiao out of her reverie. Silently, she got off the seat and followed Xiao Yun out of the room.

Downstairs, Jiang Shuxuan was standing on one side of the red carpet. He was wearing a suit custom-made for this occasion. Peering down at his wristwatch, the side of his face and his chiseled jawline made heads turn. Despite this, his cold demeanor prevented anyone else from approaching him.

9:58 am.

The wedding took place right on time. The spotlight was directed at the top of the stairway at the precise moment, allowing the guests to see the bride descend slowly.

She was wearing a snow-white wedding dress with a shortened train that glided effortlessly over the floor, fluttering with each step and a thin veil over her face. Her appearance, especially her beautiful little face stole the hearts of her guests. The entire hall suddenly turned dead-quiet after that.

Jiang Shuxuan of course was quick to notice the sudden change in atmosphere. He instinctively looked up, over in the direction of the stairway.

A surprised expression could be seen on his usually cool face. It was rare to see her in makeup and on this occasion, the makeup she was wearing was at a bare minimum. At least this was what Jiang Shuxuan noticed.

The reaction of her guests perfectly reflected how suitable the makeup was for Gu Xiqiao. In the past, Gu Xiqiao was already plenty attractive without makeup, to the point where it was unforgettable. Today was different. Her beauty was one step above the natural beauty that she would usually give off.

Her ink-dark hair was tied-up, revealing her pale white neck. Her lips were a darker shade of red due to the rouge she applied. Her semi-childish vibe had now faded away and with the slight of her hand, she could make any one of the guests fall head over heels for her.

Jiang Shuxuan felt his heart thumping against his chest.

The man who walked with Gu Xiqiao down the stairs was none other than Baili Bin. This was his request to her.

“Shuxuan, Qiao Qiao, it’s your show now.” Baili Bin glanced at Gu Xiqiao, then at Jiang Shuxuan. Painfully, he placed Gu Xiqiao’s palm into Jiang Shuxuan’s.

Jiang Shuxuan gradually felt his hand warm up. He peered down his bride, who coincidentally, was looking up at him, at his crystal-clear eyes.

There were no other thoughts that were running through Jiang Shuxuan’s mind. He felt a slight headache as he saw a red silhouette flash past his eyes. It had only been a few seconds but the entire exchange felt to him like an eternity.

“I will rest assured.” Jiang Shuxuan tightened his grip on Gu Xiqiao’s palm.

The way he responded sounded serious and heavy.

Baili Bin nodded in response before he turned to look at Gu Xiqiao. Her stay with the Baili family was a short one. Despite this, the members of his family felt the same pain and unwillingness to see her leave for another family so soon.

Baili Bin wanted to say more to Gu Xiqiao but decided against it upon seeing the smile on Jiang Shuxuan’s face.

Being friends since childhood, he knew just how cold that man could get. Even Shu Chen found it hard to understand her own son’s emotions, what more to say of him or any other outsider?

However, seeing their interaction made Baili Bin confident that in the future, whatever Gu Xiqiao said, Jiang Shuxuan would not object to it. This thought made Baili Bin a little giddy. Hmm, even the invincible Jiang Shuxuan would one day, be defeated by the power of love.

This helped ease the slight discomfort in Baili Bin’s heart when sending Gu Xiqiao off to her new family. Although the smile on her face was subtle, he could make out that she was actually over cloud nine.

Baili Bin remained where he stood, watching as they walked towards the red carpet. The guests, who were situated on either side of the aisle stood up from their seats to witness this historic moment.

While holding hands, the couple walked together on the red carpet that led towards the stage.

Gu Xiqiao raised her head slightly to get a better look at the man next to her. It was the same old, masculine face but this time, there was a slight hint of rosiness on his cheeks.

At that moment, memories simultaneously flashed through their minds. Everything suddenly felt as if they were in a dreamscape. She looked back at the day when they first met. Who would’ve thought that the person she bumped into on the street would turn out to be her soulmate for the rest of eternity?

Jiang Shuxuan picked up the ring which Xiao Yun had passed to him and with full sincerity, slipped it onto Gu Xiqiao’s finger.

No one knew that throughout the entire process, his heart was pounding furiously against his ribcage.

Gu Xiqiao wore the same subtle smile when she picked up the other ring and put it on Jiang Shuxuan’s finger.

After doing so, she was about to put her hand down when he suddenly reached out and grabbed it. The tall figure before her bent over as he leaned in for a kiss.

His eyes were fixated on hers as his face gradually closed the gap between them. Finally, when their lips met, they could feel each others’ breaths intertwine. All of a sudden, even the guests’ hearts had started thumping.

The hall was initially silent, but in the next second, when emotions were at an all-time high, the sound of cheering nearly shattered the windows.

The sound of clapping was so loud that it sounded like the rumble of thunder.

Both of their parents were onstage. Tang Yanling glanced at Gu Xiqiao before picking up a microphone. “I just want to say that, whenever I think about making my first wedding speech, it would be at my son’s wedding. To my surprise, Qiao Qiao’s wedding came first. Maybe it’s because she’s too young, or maybe it’s because I was hoping to have her around for a couple more years. This girl of mine, marrying her off makes my heart ache.”

Tang Yanling’s eyes started to redden when she reached this point in her speech. She had taken a liking to Gu Xiqiao the moment they first met.

Girls her age were usually still bubbly and cute, but the sort of heartache Tang Yanling was feeling was from a more mature standpoint.

“I believe that many of you here are impressed by her and are seeking her cooperation. For that, I am grateful to have her as my daughter,” said Tang Yanling whilst looking at the guests who have flown in from multiple countries. She then turned her attention towards Gu Xiqiao. “Qiao Qiao, Shuuxan, from the bottom of my heart, I hope that you two would go one to live a peaceful life together. At the very least, let us see this occasion through smoothly. And after that, I hope that you two will go on to find your own happiness.”

Tang Yanling knew what these two would soon be facing after this event.

The responsibility of protecting the Ancient Martial Arts World, the Supernatural World, and the Secular World all fell on both of their shoulders.

In short, the life and death of everyone on Earth was their choice to make. This thought made Tang Yanling’s tears well up.

The more powerful they got, the more responsibility they were expected to shoulder, the more they were expected to understand. In short, life was not easy for these two, despite how it looked to outsiders. The truth was contrary to this, as the burden, they were shouldering was so large and heavy it was incomprehensible to regular people.

Tang Yanling’s speech mirrored what Shu Chen intended to convey to the guests. In the end, Shu Chen decided not to waste any more of their precious time. Looking at Gu Xiqiao, she uttered to her, “Thank you, Qiao Qiao.”

Gu Xiqiao looked up with a puzzled expression. She had no idea why her mother-in-law was suddenly thanking her. Her mind was spinning as she had no idea what Tang Yanling was saying. In the end, while her mind was still clouded, she was handed tons of red packets before she was led by Jiang Shuxuan upstairs to change into a traditional dress for toasting each other.

The dress she changed into was a simple bright red ceremonial robe that was decorated with auspicious cloud-like gold lining. The bright colors paired well with her delicate face.

Jiang Shuxuan was already leaning against the doorway, waiting for her when she finally emerged from the dressing room. His gaze was bright, like sunlight that reflected off a snow-capped iceberg. And yet, there was nothing about it that seemed cold and bitter.

Even the staff working there couldn’t help but detect the sudden change in his facial expression.

“Let’s go.” Gu Xiqiao smiled at him. “They’re gonna start rioting if we let them wait any longer.”

Jiang Shuxuan initially did not react when Gu Xiqiao spoke. Out of a sudden, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and buried his head into her shoulder. “We’ll let them wait then.”

With no other choice, Gu Xiqiao marched forwards, dragging the clingy Jiang Shuxuan behind her.

He continued dangling onto her in the corridor.

At the end of the corridor suddenly appeared the silhouette of a tall man. He shot them a look with a raised brow. “I was worried that if I didn’t come up here, you’d never make it downstairs.”