Leng Yaozhu rubbed her temples—she felt like her head was about to explode.
Looking at Leng Yulai, who was still like a little girl nestled in Xia Yi's arms, she couldn't help but grind her teeth. Why was it that Xia Yi was the one with a romantic, chaotic love life, yet she was the one stuck cleaning up his mess?
The more Leng Yaozhu looked at this "shameless couple," the more annoyed she got. She shot Xia Yi a sidelong glance and said stiffly, "There are three options: First, ignore public opinion and accept being condemned by the masses. Second, wait—wait until the Douluo Plane ascends to the Divine Realm, where the laws of the Sun-Moon Federation no longer apply to deities. Third, hold the wedding in the Soul Beast Divine Realm. Pick one."
As soon as Leng Yaozhu finished speaking, Leng Yulai eagerly sat up from Xia Yi's arms and raised her hand. "I choose the first one."
Waiting? That was never going to happen. Especially not for that long.
As for the third option—holding the wedding in the Soul Beast Divine Realm? Leng Yulai wasn't interested. She wasn't going to live there in the future. If the wedding took place there, who in the Douluo Plane would even know she married Xia Yi?
No way was she going to accept that.
Being condemned by all?
Ha!
As long as she was happy, when had Leng Yulai ever cared about what others said?
"Leng Yulai, stop messing around." Leng Yaozhu snapped, her voice sharp. "Can't you think about Xia Yi? Do you really want to see his name dragged through the mud?"
Seeing that Leng Yaozhu was genuinely angry, Leng Yulai shrank her neck back and muttered, "Then let's rebel against the Sun-Moon Federation."
A vein throbbed visibly on Leng Yaozhu's otherwise flawless forehead. She said each word with biting emphasis, "Leng. Yu. Lai. From now on—shut. Up."
"Oh." Leng Yulai pouted, flopping back into Xia Yi's arms and muttering, "Why are you being so fierce? You asked me to choose, didn't you?"
"I said shut up. Didn't you hear me?" Leng Yaozhu's fists clenched so tightly that her pale fingers turned white.
"Tch. Can't think of a better idea yourself, so you give out three lousy plans, and now you've got the nerve to tell others to shut up." Leng Yulai grumbled under her breath.
"You have a better idea?" Leng Yaozhu's beautiful eyes narrowed. Leng Yulai might be mischievous, but Leng Yaozhu had never doubted her sister's capability.
In front of Xia Yi and herself, Leng Yulai always seemed careless, but when she was serious, she was second to none.
"You told me to shut up, remember? Heh!" Leng Yulai sneered, laying in Xia Yi's arms, ignoring Leng Yaozhu.
"I apologize, okay? Just tell me—do you have a better idea?" Leng Yaozhu said helplessly.
"Nope." Leng Yulai shook her head firmly.
"What? You don't? Then why did you even say anything?!" Leng Yaozhu was furious, practically gasping for breath. She really wanted to slam Leng Yulai into the ground and beat her senseless.
"Stupid sister, don't you even consider who our brother-in-law is? If there really was no solution, would he bring this up and make things hard for you?" Leng Yulai rolled her eyes, continuing calmly, "You're so full of yourself. You think our brother-in-law is just some womanizer who doesn't care about us?"
Leng Yaozhu was stunned, her gaze instinctively turning to Xia Yi.
"Why are you looking at me? You insisted on taking charge, considering this and that. I never said you had to figure everything out, and you never even asked me if I already had a plan," Xia Yi said, shrinking back under Leng Yaozhu's cold gaze.
"I knew it! Brother-in-law wouldn't put us in a difficult spot. It's just that a certain self-important woman jumped in, thinking she's so great," Leng Yulai said mockingly.
"Xia Yi! Leng Yulai!" Leng Yaozhu ground her teeth hard.
She had racked her brains trying to fix things, and in their eyes, she was just some clown putting on a show?
"Tch. Miss Full-of-Herself, still standing there grinding her teeth." Leng Yulai snorted, then turned and smiled sweetly at Xia Yi, teasing, "Did you get all choked up when I said I'd rebel against the Federation for our wedding? I moved myself to tears."
"I'd be more touched if you hadn't said it out loud." Xia Yi said, face dark.
Still, he was sure Leng Yulai had been sincere just now. It was only when she realized he wasn't stopping their bickering that she started acting up again.
Even though he always told them to get along, every time there was drama between the women, he was the first one watching like an eager spectator.
Though often caught in the crossfire, it didn't stop him from enjoying the show.
"Fine. Yulai is young and foolish, but why are you, a grown man, joining in the nonsense?" Leng Yaozhu stared at Xia Yi. "Have you really already planned the wedding?"
"Mhm." Xia Yi nodded, his expression turning serious. "Right now, although the continent is unified under the Sun-Moon Federation, the Eight Kings Domain still has autonomy. I looked into their local laws, and in those eight tribes, polygamy is allowed."
When the Star Luo Empire invaded, the Eight Kings Domain suffered heavy casualties. They retreated to the Heavenly Fox Domain and clashed with the Star Luo Empire for nearly ten thousand years. Many young soul masters died in the struggle. The eight tribes that were once strong saw dramatic population decline, and some were even wiped out.
Due to this, when drafting their autonomous laws, many privileges were granted to preserve the tribes' legacies.
If the Sun-Moon Federation dared to grant such privileges elsewhere, the public would be outraged—even the royal family would face backlash.
But the Eight Kings Domain was different.
No one protested the special rights granted to the tribes. In fact, no one even found it problematic.
This was due to differing social norms.
The Douluo Continent was a civilized society.
The Eight Kings Domain, though now part of the Federation, had not always been civilized. It had primitive tribal customs and was once ruled by nobility—very different roots from Douluo.
Social values couldn't change overnight.
"Eight Kings Domain…" Leng Yaozhu frowned. She was already overwhelmed with Douluo affairs and hadn't looked deeply into the Eight Kings Domain.
Xia Yi smiled. "Yes. I've already contacted the governor of the Eight Kings Autonomous Region. I'll transfer my household registration to their tribe. That way, I'll officially be part of the Heavenly Fox Tribe. Then I can move your registrations under mine. With royal tribe status, polygamy won't violate Federation law. Even if we host the wedding in Douluo, no one can say a word."
"Wait—I heard the Eight Kings tribes value bloodlines greatly. Only those with pure blood can undergo baptism in their sacred pools. How did you get Linghu Douluo to let you join their tribe? Did she fall for you?" Leng Yaozhu asked in surprise.
The governor of the Eight Kings Autonomous Region was the Heavenly Fox Tribe's chieftain, Linghu Douluo.
The Eight Kings were known for being stubborn. They resisted the Star Luo Empire for nearly ten thousand years with outdated equipment.
Their sudden cooperation with the Sun-Moon Federation was already suspicious.
Now they were agreeing to Xia Yi's request?
Maybe Linghu Douluo saw potential in Xia Yi's talent and bloodline?
"Maybe. Who can resist a charming guy like me?" Xia Yi chuckled smugly.
Seeing his smug face, Leng Yaozhu gritted her teeth again. Then a sudden idea lit up her eyes, and she smiled seductively. "Yes, my man is indeed irresistible. I believe he can even persuade the lofty Holy Spirit Douluo to marry him. Hah! But if you can't, feel free to beg me and my sister—we'd be happy to help."
"Ah!" Xia Yi's smile froze. "Can't we not bring her into this?"
"Damn it, Leng Yaozhu! You could've just talked about yourself. Why drag Yulai into this too?" Xia Yi cursed her silently.
Getting Yali to agree to marry him was the one thing he wasn't confident about.
But he didn't want to admit defeat or ask the sisters for help. He hoped Leng Yaozhu would take the initiative.
"You're our man—the pillar of our family. You call the shots. With one less woman vying for attention, we'd actually be glad," Leng Yaozhu said coolly, arms crossed.
She saw right through his little ploy. Trying to retreat to advance?
Heh!
Who did he think he was dealing with?
"Weren't you two best friends?" Xia Yi asked weakly.
"Guard against fire, thieves, and best friends," Leng Yaozhu said sweetly.
"Yulai…" Xia Yi turned to Leng Yulai, giving her repeated signals with his eyes, hoping she'd volunteer.
Then it wouldn't count as him asking.
"Brother-in-law, why are you blinking at me?" Leng Yulai blinked back innocently.
She dreamed of messing with Yali openly.
But watching Xia Yi struggle was more fun.
No way she was volunteering.
"I got sand in my eye," Xia Yi said through gritted teeth. He felt like cursing.
Damn it!
Calling him "brother-in-law" so sweetly, and now abandoning him just like that?
"Just one Yali? Fine, I'll win her over just to show you!" Xia Yi thought bitterly, then turned and left.
"Giggle…" Watching him walk away dejected, Leng Yaozhu and her sister burst into laughter.
After leaving, Xia Yi didn't go to find Yali immediately. Instead, he found Gu Yue and returned to the Genesis Origin Realm.
There, he talked to the Demon Empress and Gu Yue again about the wedding.
"Holding a wedding? Fine. But Leng Yaozhu and the others are your business. We'll host it in the Genesis Origin Realm," Gu Yue and the Demon Empress said. They had no objections.
This realm was now the home of soul beasts. If they were to wed, it had to happen here.
Xia Yi smiled. "My plan is to hold an interdimensional wedding—simultaneously in both the Douluo Plane and the Genesis Origin Realm."
"No problem on this side. But the Douluo side is messy. Are you sure it'll be okay?" Gu Yue asked.
"I'll handle the human world stuff with Yaozhu. Don't worry," Xia Yi reassured them.
"Then I'm at ease," Gu Yue nodded.
"How long until the Buddha Child finishes closed-door cultivation?" Xia Yi asked the Demon Empress.
"Could be a while. Not sure," she said, shrugging.
"No rush. If we're doing this, we'll do it perfectly—even if it means waiting longer," Xia Yi said. "Let's start preparing everything and finalize the date once the Buddha Child is out."
"Wait. Is Yali also a bride?" Gu Yue asked suddenly.
"Why so surprised? Of course she is," Xia Yi replied.
"You won over Yali?" the Demon Empress asked in shock. She knew Yali's reputation—pure, saintly.
She had thought the only way to make Yali "fall" was in some fictional story.
And yet, here in reality…
"You really think she's some pure fairy?" Gu Yue rolled her eyes, then looked at Xia Yi. "Did she agree?"
"She doesn't know yet. But she will." Xia Yi patted his chest confidently.
"In that case, there are only three brides on our side. The human side has Yaozhu, Yulai, Muxi, and Yali—one more. That's unfair," Gu Yue grumbled softly.
"You're counting that too?" Xia Yi was stunned, momentarily speechless.
"Of course! Otherwise, what if you play favorites later?" Gu Yue muttered.
"Honestly, I think it's perfect," the Demon Empress smiled. "Didn't he always go on about three wives and four concubines? Now the numbers line up perfectly."
"Right! Why didn't I think of that? Three wives and four concubines—perfect!" Gu Yue's purple eyes sparkled with glee.