You Siqi was still a little shy.
He could hear all the surrounding noises clearly.
But this was his Dao Companion ceremony.
Regardless of their genders or statuses, this was their affair, unrelated to the guests.
With this thought, You Siqi wrapped his arms around Shen Muzhi's neck and, without hesitation, called out, "Husband."
The voice was sweet and pleasant to hear.
With just those two simple words, Shen Muzhi's eyes darkened uncontrollably.
After kissing You Siqi's lips again, Shen Muzhi pulled him down to toast the guests at each table.
Seeing their intimate display, the female cultivators who had originally intended to vie for Shen Muzhi became uneasy. It was unclear who spoke first, but discordant voices suddenly erupted in the grand hall—
"A grown man wearing a wedding dress to marry someone else, what was he thinking? If he were my son, I'd break his legs!"
"Indeed, if he dislikes being a man so much, why doesn't he chop off his own bits? His cultivation is so poor, and he can't even have children. Why come and waste Doctor Shen's time? It's truly incomprehensible."
"Could he be some kind of seductive demon? Has Doctor Shen been bewitched? I really don't see anything special about him."
One unpleasant remark after another rang out. At first, it was possible to discern their origins, but later it seemed as if the entire hall was filled with people saying similar things. Moreover, because Shen Muzhi usually appeared so gentle, those people felt no fear towards him.
The voices grew louder, completely disregarding the dignity of the two protagonists.
You Siqi lowered his head, his face darkening completely.
Although he had anticipated such a situation, the mental preparation he had made still proved insufficient at this moment.
Liu Buli also clenched the long sword in his hand.
He admitted that at the very beginning, he had watched with the mindset of enjoying a spectacle. But when the situation truly unfolded and he heard the increasingly harsh words, Liu Buli felt an almost uncontrollable surge of irritation.
Even though it wasn't his wedding, he wanted to silence these ignorant people forever.
However, before he could make a move, Shen Muzhi seemed to anticipate his intentions. He glanced back at Liu Buli and smiled, shaking his head.
Receiving this signal, Liu Buli furrowed his brow slightly. Although he still felt uncomfortable, since the people involved had asked him to stand down, he could only choose to remain quiet.
Scanning his surroundings, Shen Muzhi's gaze finally settled on the direction from which the first voices had come. He held You Siqi close and then, his voice icy, asked, "It seems some fellow cultivators feel that my wife and I are not a good match? I am quite curious then, in your eyes, who should I be with?"
As he posed this question, Shen Muzhi deliberately infused his voice with spiritual energy. The amplified volume drowned out everything else, instantly silencing the previously noisy space.
This question was indeed difficult to answer.
The female cultivators who had already set their sights on Shen Muzhi were eager. They exchanged glances with knowing winks, and finally, one of them stepped forward.
She was a very beautiful female cultivator.
Her cultivation was not particularly high, but it was more than enough to completely overshadow someone like You Siqi, who was practically a novice.
She looked at Shen Muzhi's face, biting her lip. After a moment of silence, she said, "Doctor Shen, I have actually admired you for many years. So..."
"Oh," Shen Muzhi replied indifferently, then directly interrupted the woman's introduction. Instead, he asked, "What did you just call my Dao Companion?"
As a physician, Shen Muzhi was quite satisfied with his hearing. Although the surrounding voices had been noisy and chaotic, and he couldn't discern exactly what everyone had said, he could still identify which voices he had heard.
Hearing this question, the female cultivator blushed and found herself in an awkward position.
She had indeed spoken earlier.
But when she had spoken, she had chosen the moments when the voices were most chaotic. She had thought that even with Shen Muzhi's sharp attention, he would never be able to hear her words clearly.
After all, to insult the bride at someone else's wedding.
It was quite shameful to admit.
However, her resentment was real, so she couldn't help but want to vent. She had intended to just get it off her chest, but now that Shen Muzhi had singled her out, she was flushed and didn't know how to respond.
Seeing the young woman's state, Shen Muzhi shook his head inwardly. His expression remained unchanged as he said, "You don't even dare to admit what you've said. You insult someone's Dao Companion at their wedding and then shamelessly try to replace them. Young lady, before you pursue your own affections, I suggest you first learn how to behave."
After speaking, he directly shifted his gaze away.
He scanned the surroundings again and continued, "Does anyone else wish to speak? If you do, I don't mind chatting with you further."
Those who had spoken earlier fell silent.
They all behaved themselves, not daring to engage further.
Shen Muzhi had initially thought the situation would end there. But unexpectedly, at that moment, a woman in white emerged from the crowd.
She was tall and exceptionally beautiful.
Coupled with her naturally noble demeanor, she drew admiring glances from many cultivators present.
When this woman stepped forward, Liu Buli was also taken aback. His eyes then brightened considerably. He hadn't expected the plot to unfold exactly as he had predicted; it was worth waiting for.
Lu Wuming, standing beside him, noticed his master's excitement and quietly inquired, "Master, do you know this woman?"
"Not exactly, but there are few people as beautiful in the cultivation world, so I've heard of her," Liu Buli replied in a low voice. "This woman is named Leng Qingxue, considered one of the foremost beauties in the cultivation world. She has been in love with Shen Muzhi for many years, and everyone knows this. In the novel, she was the first person in the protagonist's harem. Although Shen Muzhi is not interested in her now, she should still be quite interested in him. I wanted to watch the show, and this is what I was looking forward to. It seems my wish has been granted."