8 - Toast

The Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace one of the top four sects out of the four in the entire Blue Wind Empire. It had the least in number but even so it still managed to be ranked second out of the seven sects.

Heavenly Sword Villa, Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace, Xiao Sect, Burning Heaven Clan.

Out of the seven countries in Profound Sky Continent, the Blue Wind Empire was currently the smallest. Although they had the lowest overall strength, they have never been annexed by the other countries. A large part of the reason why was because of those four major sects. Those powers that are not afraid of the Blue Wind Empire's strength but instead fear the four major sects.

There is no doubt about the strength of those four major sects. The process in which they recruit disciples was very strict and they did not care about background in their selections. The most important thing they want in the end was talent. Everyone living in the Blue Wind Empire dream and aspire for that kind of great fortune. If you get into one of these major sects, even the lowest of disciples will bring honor and prosperity to their family. They would even be the guests of honor at court and be presented with the rank of a marquis.

So for Xia Qingyue to be a disciple at the second ranked sect out of the entire empire, it only further showed how much of a genius she really is in the profound way. This practically ensures she makes it to at least Earth porfound realm, maybe even the Sky profound realm.

" The fact that you didn't publicly announce you were a disciple of such a sect, do you have some kind reason for such things? With status like yours, the Xia clan can freely walk through anywhere in Floating Cloud City and nobody would dare offend them. " Itachi said looking at Xia Qingyue

"... Because of you" She answered

" Because of me? I see, you feel that in debt to my late father" Itachi said as he nodded. "Well marrying me with your status of a disciple of the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace would surely cause quite an uproar" Itachi nodded.

"Indeed... I married you with the identity of a girl from Xia clan and the entire city of Floating Cloud is in an uproar. If I married you with an Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace's disciple's status, not only our small city of Floating Clouds would be in an uproar. No matter what, there would be a lot of unpredictable consequences between you and my Xia clan. After all, the difference between you and I is far too vast." Xiao Qingyue said in a light voice with clear eyes. Although she only stood there silently, she was already brilliantly dazzling.

Xia Qingyue raised her glittering cold eyes: "The reason why I told you that I belonged to Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace was to let you know that in order for me to continue to practice the Frozen Cloud arts, my heart must be like a frozen cloud. Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace only accept women and they must be pure and uncontaminated for life. Although I did marry you, I cannot love anyone in this lifetime. You must understand my commitment."

"Hn... well then let me get this straight with you" Itachi said as he moved towards the door. "Although I also indeed marry you I never did so because of any personal feelings. Only because it was my obligation for my late father's agreement with Uncle Xia"

Thinking he misunderstood and retorted back Xia Qingyue slowly shook her head: "Maybe you have misunderstood me. I have never despised you nor have looked down on you…. My master had told me many times that people of a higher level should never overlook someone else. Nor underestimate them. Besides, I have just reached the starting point of my journey up. The Profound Sky Continent respects the strong so there are countless doctors around. Just because your Profound Vein was broken does not mean that your life is completely ruined."

Itachi didn't answer and merely get ready to walk out the room. Did she think that just because she is pretty anyone would like her? He shook his head and hastily made his way out, he needed to try to see if he could reconnect the optic nerves to his chakra coils. He even had an experiment he needed to test out, if his hypothesis is correct he may even forcefully breakthrough his cultivation even with his crippled profound veins.

But just after he got out he heard Xia Qingyue's voice ""You should go to the toast." Xia Qingyue slowly replied with a glint in her eye

And just after that Xiao Hong also came and told him " young master, it is time for you to propose the toast"

Itachi had forgoten about that, as he was visibly surprised. 'It seems I'll have to wait a little longer to test my hypothesis out' He thought as he nodded towards Xiao Hong and followed him.

...

"Qingyue, do you wish to return to Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace with me?"

As soon as Itachi left a beautiful gentle voice that was as misty as a cloud and as gentle as a breeze sounded out. It was enough to make even the world's coldest heart completely melt.

Xia Qingyue gently shook her head: "Master, Qingyue intends to stay a while. If I leave as soon as I got married, he will suffer even harsher of endless ridicules. I ask master to give me a month's time so I won't hurt him nor allow others to make fun of him by the time I leave."

The woman dressed in white looked at her. After a while she nodded slowly and smiled faintly: "Alright. It is the first time in hundreds of years that a Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace disciple was allowed to be married. Since it had been an exception, another month's worth of wait is nothing."

"Thank you for fulfilling my wish, Master." Xia Qingyue's body lowered again as she hesitantly whispered softly: "Master, is it really impossible to repair his Profound Vein?"

The woman in white shook her head without delay: "There are no such things as absolutes in this world…. but at least to me, it seems to not be possible. Qingyue, it is good that you are a kind and compassionate person with a giving heart. However, I really cannot help you with this issue."

Xia Qingyue did not ask again. Since even this white-robed woman with such high pedigree and exalted status was sure that it was "not possible", then there should not be even the smallest chance of it being possible.

"Qingyue, I know you are eager in repaying your debt of gratitude since your life was saved at a young age, to even go as far as delaying your return to Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace, but you marrying him should already be enough to repay that obligation. When you return to Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace, your identity will be revealed. Although he may suffer more ridicule after your departure, his status of being the husband of a Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace disciple would still be intact. At least in this little Floating Cloud City, with that kind of prestigious status, no one would dare to cause him physical harm." The lady in white said with a comforting tone of voice.

Xia Qingyue softly nodded: "I hope so."

"His Profound Vein is disabled and he also has no other strengths. He will never be able to achieve any accomplishments perhaps in his entire life. But you are beautiful and smart. Talents of your nature are born once every hundreds of years. Otherwise, our Mistress would not have let you break the rules like that and get married. Marrying you was his greatest fortune and luck in his entire life. You taking this step is justice enough. If his father was still alive and smart enough, he would have cancelled this wedding… I have to go. I will pick you up a month later. During this period, I will not go anywhere far. If you encounter any unresolvable problems, write me a letter to keep me informed."

"I bid teacher farewell."

The white robed woman's chin turned around. Suddenly, a beautiful face with a hint of coldness on it was seen. She wore no make up for her skin was as smooth as a snow white piece of jade. People cannot help but think of the terms "a beauty with flesh of ice and bones of jade" and "a face of snow with lips of pearls" to describe her as they laid their eyes upon her. Her facial features were as exquisite as they were perfect. She was charming in a way that made people unable to even dare look at her. One would think that she was as holy as she was lofty when gazing into her eyes. She was like a fairy who had ascended above Nirvana, untainted by anyone of the human realm.

She opened the window and her body slightly trembled. As if accompanied by an invisible cold ice spirit, she looked as if she had dissolved right at the place she once stood.

...

Currently in the Xiao Clan, Guest's hall there was a banquet going on.

"Seventh Uncle Liu, please have a drink." Itachi respectfully presented a cup in front of a gentle looking middle-aged man.

The person who was called Seventh Uncle Liu stood up as he started to laugh. He raised his cup and drained it of its contents. He spoke with laughter: "My nephew, I was best friends with your father, now that I see you have formed your own family and have married to such a good wife, my heart is happy for you."

After that he went to the next which was the first elder. "First Elder, please have a drink." Itachi said. The fist elder took the cup drinking three mouthfuls quickly before he slammed the cup in the table as he "hmphed" at him. Itachi didn't care and just went to the next table

but before he did Xiao Li spit on the floor and opened his mouth as he spoke in a cold harsh tone of voice within Itachi's hearing range: "Such a delicate flower has now been inserted into poop. Bah!"

Of course Itachi didn't bother as he only went to the next table. The elders were even worse than the ones in the council so why should he care what they think. He doesn't care what they say about him, as he only cared about his grandfather and little aunt.

He came over to the Second Elder, Xiao Bo's side. He bowed slightly: "Second Elder, Xiao Che offers you a cup."

Xiao Bo did not bother to look Itachi in the eye but he opened his mouth to lightly say: "Yang dear, help me drink it."

"Yes, Grandpa." Xiao Yang said without hesitation. He took Itachi's offer of wine and drank it all, only making a "guru" sound.

A cup of wine presented to an elder but drank by his children did not show only contempt anymore. It was a sort of public humiliation. After drinking the wine, Xiao Yang put the cup down and sat back on his seat, his eyes filled with undisguised scorn and ridicule.

Itachi did not say anything again as he remained expressionless. He only nodded slightly and moved on to the next table. Just like before, as soon as he took two steps, a cold grunt was heard: "Hmph, trash is trash. Even if trash climbed into Xia Clan, it is still trash. Xiao Lie that old bastard is actually going to depend on his granddaughter-in-law? Bah!"

The voice contained deep disdain, sarcasm, and of course jealousy. Even if one did not mention the wealth of the Xia Clan, if one can still brag about Xia Qingyue's amazing talent. If she had not been married to Itachi but instead to his grandson Xiao Yang, his laughter that came from his dreams may actually become audible.

Itachi merely left as the quicker he finishes the faster he can leave.

He finished his toast and sent out the guests. The long night of banquet was over. During this entire process, the people who displayed genuine heartfelt congratulations and best wishes were so few that he could count them on his ten little fingers. Countless people were very polite towards him, after all today was his wedding day, but he clearly saw contempt in almost all of their eyes. Some people sighed, some people were jealous with anger. The rest had unconcealed scorn and other negative thoughts like "trash" and "worthless" written all over their faces.

His Profound Vein was disabled so it was a fact that he would not achieve any greatness during his entire lifetime because of that. So they don't have to be friends or be polite with Itachi. They did not care if they offend him because even if he got offended, he could not do anything against them with his disabled Profound Vein. Before this wastrel they could be unscrupulous and not care, readily dripping in the show of their superiority. They felt strong as they look down on this person who would never become anything but one who was weaker than them.

That is the ugly reality of human nature.

"Take an early rest." Xiao Lie patted him on the shoulder with a gentle smile on his face. As Itachi looked at him he did not know what was hidden under his grandpa's smile at this time.

As Xiao Lie became older and older, his temper had become more and more gentle. But when he was young, he was like a candle that could easily be ignited. If someone made him upset, he would make that person ten times angrier and no one dared to provoke him. Itachi knew all too well that his grandfather's temper did not become soft due to old age, but was instead because of him….

In order to protect his useless grandson, he had to become kind and soft. Even if they were looked down upon, as long as the bottom line had not been crossed, he would endure it as best as he could. This way, there wouldn't be any enemies that would come back to get revenge on his grandson after he had passed away.

As the most powerful person in the Floating Cloud City, the Fifth Elder that everyone used to be afraid of, was now not respected nor feared by the other Elders anymore. This was true in the case of the younger generation as well.

Watching Xiao Lie's back, images of disrespectful and laughing faces appeared in Xiao Che's mind. His eyes sharpened and radiated crimson for a brief second, if he did not control himself he feared that he would accidentally activate his sharingan.

Although he was not usually a vengeful person, if it comes to his loved ones he would not hesitate to even do the worst of crimes. The fact that he had to watch one of his precious people endure such shame and humiliation lit a fire in his heart.

'These actions... you will all regret them'