Planet Pulverizer: A Mortal's Ascent

Chapter 223: Wedding

At Zanglong City, in a hotel decorated in an extremely festive manner.

Fang Yubai and Meng Lingbing, dressed in their finest attire, were standing in the hall, greeting guests arriving for the banquet.

Behind them, a large wedding photo took the place of the usual screen.

The hotel entrance was adorned with many flowers and arches. There were also many signs. They read, Congratulations to the groom, Fang Yubai, and the bride, Meng Lingbing, on their wedding.

This was Fang Yubai and Meng Lingbing’s wedding banquet clearly.

Aside from the couple, the Fang family elders also made occasional appearances to welcome guests.

At this moment, Fang Yubai's father and Fang Lingjue approached a middle-aged man in his fifties and a young man in his thirties.

Mr. Fang beamed with a broad smile. "Minister Xu, it's an honor to have you here. I'm truly flattered."

The middle-aged man, addressed as Minister Xu, returned the smile and exchanged pleasantries with Mr. Fang while handing a gift to the newlyweds.

Meanwhile, the young man greeted Fang Lingjue, "Master."

Fang Lingjue gave him a nod.

This young man was none other than one of his disciples, Xu Huan.

After greeting Fang Lingjue, Xu Huan approached Fang Yubai with a smile and said, "Congratulations! Do you need any help?"

"No need. Go inside and take a seat first. I'll come find you for a drink later," Fang Yubai replied, signaling for someone to escort the young man in.

"Alright," Xu Huan responded, giving Fang Lingjue another nod before heading upstairs to the second-floor hall.

Meanwhile, three men attending the wedding were quietly talking about the middle-aged man Mr. Fang was greeting. "That man... isn't he Minister Xu from the Public Prosecutor's Office?"

"Minister Xu? He'll likely be Director Xu soon. His promotion was confirmed six months ago. He's already a level-four senior official in Taibai, overqualified for a ministerial position. Once Deputy Director Luo retires next year, he will be next in line."

"Even this big shot is here? When did the Fang family establish such connections?"

"It probably has something to do with Lingjue. Not sure of the details, though."

Amid their conversation, the group exchanged envious glances at Mr. Fang, who was happily chatting with Minister Xu.

What was this called? Having connections.

At that moment, someone whispered something into Fang Lingjue's ear. He quickly made his way to the hotel entrance.

Soon after, a car pulled up outside. Though not particularly luxurious, the license plate was easily recognized by those with some standing in Zanglong City.

Immediately after, Jiang Qingyue, the martial society chairman, ranking just below the big three of Zanglong and overseeing all its martial arts affairs, stepped out of the car. His arrival caused yet another stir among the crowd.

While Minister Xu still had to wait a year to assume the role of Deputy Director of the Public Prosecutor Office, Jiang Qingyue was a figure of undeniable authority already. He held the power to shape the destiny of martial halls and martial artists alike.

With a mere thought, he could make millionaires, even billionaires.

"Chairman Jiang, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to attend my nephew's wedding," Fang Lingjue said with a smile.

"Haha, since you've already sent the invitation, how could I not show up?" Jiang Qingyue responded, his face beaming with a smile.

At the same time, he stepped forward to offer his blessings to the newlyweds.

Shortly after Jiang Qingyue arrived, another important figure showed up.

It was none other than Tian Feiyu, who had previously attended the Five Elements Sect banquet.

The two headed up to the second-floor hall together under Fang Lingjue's company.

As they entered the banquet, many guests who had arrived early stood up to greet them. Jiang Qingyue and Tian Feiyu responded to each one.

This scene fell into the sight of several Meng Family members. They couldn't help but feel astonished.

The Meng family wasn't particularly large in Zanglong City, but each branch had assets in the millions. Altogether, they could be considered a family business with assets approaching tens of millions, nearly a hundred million. Yet, despite their considerable wealth, they were merely affluent at best, a far cry from the true elite.

Though some family members held government positions, the highest-ranking among them was a level-seven Taibai Official, serving as a director in the Seismological Bureau, a relatively insignificant department.

Compared to Minister Xu, President Jiang, and Mayor Tian, their status was worlds apart.

"Xiaobing has really married into a good family."

"The Fang family may seem low-key, but their connections are much broader than we thought."

"The third branch of the family is likely to rise now. Make sure to keep in touch with your third uncle in the future."

Members of the Meng family whispered among themselves, with some even instructing the youngsters to maintain this connection.

Those close to Meng Lingbing in terms of age listened to their elders with envious eyes.

By now more than half of the guests had arrived. Shan Hu had been helping guide the guests when she received a piece of news that prompted her to rush over to Fang Lingjue’s side. She whispered into his ear, "Master... Li Pin... Martial Saint Li has arrived."

Fang Lingjue was taken aback. "Li Pin? Isn't he supposed to be studying at the Dragon Gate Hall?"

Then it hit him, and he sprang to his feet. "Quick, take me downstairs to meet him."

Hearing this, Jiang Qingyue and Tian Feiyu, seated with Fang Lingjue, immediately asked, "Li Pin? Has Lord Li arrived?"

"Yes, he has." Fang Lingjue nodded. " We sent him an invitation, but I assumed he would be deep in his studies at the Dragon Gate Hall and wouldn't be able to make it. I didn't expect...."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go together," Jiang Qingyue and Tian Feiyu said in unison.

Fang Lingjue felt it might be improper for the two guests to join him. Yet Jiang Qingyue had already stepped forward eagerly. Left with no choice, he followed along.

This scene stirred up discussions among the guests.

"Who's arrived? Even Chairman Jiang and Mayor Tian are going downstairs to greet them. Could it be Mayor Wang? Or Chairman Zhang?"

"I have no idea, but it's definitely someone important."

"I overheard... it seems to be Li Pin, Martial Saint Li..."

"Master Saint Li!? Are you talking about that Li Pin, Martial Saint Li, the one who won first place at the World's Top Martial Competition two months ago?"

"How could that be possible? Martial Saint Li is a highly esteemed figure, personally ennobled by the emperor as a viscount with real authority. Even Mayor Wang and Chairman Zhang pale in comparison. Could the Fang family really invite such a prominent figure?"

"I heard a rumor that Martial Saint Li and Fang Yubai were classmates in their youth. If that's true, it makes sense for Martial Saint to attend his wedding."

"If it's really Martial Saint Li, then this is huge! If I can get a picture with him, my social media page would blow up!"

"Forget pictures, you should post it on Mystic Sound! This is the first time Martial Saint Li has made a public appearance since the World's Top Martial Competition ended! A well-shot video could gain tens of thousands of followers in no time!"

As the chatter about Li Pin grew louder, the guests' faces filled with anticipation and excitement, their eyes constantly darting toward the entrance.

***

At the hotel entrance, Li Pin was chatting with Fang Yubai.

Fang Yubai's face lit up with both surprise and joy. "I thought you'd already gone to Dragon Gate Hall... I was worried about interrupting your training."

Li Pin wore a smile. "We were roommates for three years. How could I not come to your wedding?"

He hadn't notified Fang Yubai of his arrival in advance because he'd taken Xiang Tianxing's advice to keep his movements discreet. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Meng Lingbing was standing next to Fang Yubai. She gazed at Li Pin, her eyes brimming with excitement. Li Pin had ascended to an entirely different level after winning the World’s Top Martial Competition. Beyond his prestigious status, his mastery as a Martial Saint had put him far beyond the reach of their current social class.

She opened her mouth multiple times, wanting to say something, but the words just wouldn't come out.

Li Pin noticed this and took the initiative to speak to her. "Is there anything you need my help with?"

Feeling more at ease after he spoke, Meng Lingbing shyly asked, "Would you... be willing to officiate our wedding?"

"Officiate?" Li Pin paused and shook his head. "Officiating is usually reserved for elders of great stature. It wouldn't be appropriate for me, as we're of the same generation."

Meng Lingbing hurriedly responded, "I'm sorry, that was presumptuous of me—"

"It's just that it’s not appropriate for me to take on that role, but..." Li Pin glanced at Fang Yubai, "If you're still short on a groomsman, I wouldn't mind stepping in for that."

Fang Yubai's eyes widened in shock. Li Pin... As his best man at the wedding!?

He could hardly fathom the impact this news would have if it spread. If this hit the internet, it would definitely blow up the entire Taibai online community.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course." Li Pin nodded. "If you need me."

Just then, a shout came from the stairs. "Martial Saint Li!"

Immediately after, Fang Lingjue, Jiang Qingyue, Tian Feiyu, and a bunch of other people came rushing over.

Fang Lingjue smiled. "If I had known you'd come. I would've gone to Jiang Province to personally welcome you."

"No need to be so formal," Li Pin responded.

Jiang Qingyue and Tian Feiyu quickly stepped forward and extended their hands.

"Martial Saint Li, all of Zanglong City warmly welcomes your arrival."

"Mar... Martial Saint Li, hello, I'm Xiaotian. I'm not sure if you still remember me."

Li Pin nodded to the both of them and shook their hands.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Mr. Fang quickly said, "Martial Saint Li, please come upstairs... we've prepared a seat for you."

Mr. Fang turned to Fang Yubai, still standing in the reception area. "Alright, go ahead and accompany Martial Saint Li upstairs."

As for the remaining guests, he had arranged for others to attend to them.

Fang Yubai hesitated for a moment, but eventually brought Meng Lingbing along and followed Li Pin upstairs.

"Go tend to your matters; today, you two are the stars of the event," Li Pin stopped Fang Yubai from following. "If we need to chat, we can catch up after the wedding."

"Alright," Fang Yubai nodded. "Uncle, I'll leave Martial Saint Li in your hands."

Fang Lingjue nodded. "Don't worry."

With that, he, Jiang Qingyue, Tian Feiyu, and Mr. Fang led Li Pin to the banquet hall.