THE HUNTER OF DARKNESS

Marriage

The beautiful girl, soon to lose her purity, was overwhelmed by indescribable happiness.

"I'm embarrassed that they're watching us," Fang An whispered softly.

"Why be embarrassed? They all seem so happy to see us happy," replied Princess Xian Lie.

"Fang An, my daughter, now the two of you should rest. Tomorrow is your wedding day," said Emperor Li Wei.

"Yes, Father." Princess Xian Lie dragged Fang An out of the hall before the young man could reply to the emperor.

"They look so happy, Your Majesty," said Zhao Jian.

"Indeed, Elder. Not only them, I, as a parent, am also thrilled to see their joy," Emperor Li Wei replied.

Time moved slowly that day. That night, in a separate room, Zhao Wen and Zhao Jian sat alone without Fang An.

"Grandfather, I overheard earlier that Fang An is the master of Yu Lian. But why can't I sense Yu Lian's energy inside him?" Zhao Wen asked.

Zhao Jian smiled faintly at his grandson's question.

"You'll find out soon enough," he answered briefly.

Zhao Wen was curious about his grandfather's cryptic reply. But he didn't have the courage to probe further. He was sure the old man would explain everything in due time.

The night passed peacefully. But not for the couple set to marry the next day. In their separate rooms, Fang An and Princess Xian Lie were filled with nerves mixed with happiness.

Especially Princess Xian Lie, who couldn't sleep until dawn out of fear she wouldn’t wake up to see the next day.

The roosters around the palace crowed in chorus, adding joy to the morning. It was as if they too celebrated the upcoming wedding.

The palace was filled with cheer. Celebrations took place to welcome the guests arriving to offer congratulations.

In the hall transformed into a ceremonial space, Fang An and Princess Xian Lie sat side by side, radiating happiness. Their appearances were perfectly matched in luxurious attire. Bright smiles never left their faces as they greeted every guest.

The same joy was felt by Emperor Li Wei, Zhao Jian, Zhao Wen, and A Long. Especially Zhao Jian and Zhao Wen, who had once witnessed the wedding of Fang Yun and Mei Hwa.

That cheerful day passed quickly, and night fell to cast silence over the land.

In a room filled with floral fragrance, the heartbeats of Fang An and Princess Xian Lie pounded like war drums.

Though they had often been alone together, the awkwardness they felt now was real. The status of husband and wife—something they never imagined when they first met—had now become their reality.

To break the tension, Princess Xian Lie chose to act first. The lovely princess held Fang An’s hand and looked straight into the eyes of the young man with white hair who was now officially her husband.

Not long after, her beautiful eyes closed tightly, a clear signal for Fang An.

Fang An smiled at her gesture. Without delay, his hands moved to remove each piece of clothing from Princess Xian Lie’s body.

A faint gulp escaped him as he saw her bare figure. He couldn’t hold himself back. One by one, he stripped off his own clothes quickly.

What followed was a long night of passion, drenched in sweat and intimacy. They didn’t just reach ecstasy once, but many times until exhaustion overtook them. They fell asleep embracing each other, completely unclothed.

Note: I will not describe the scene further because this is a martial arts story, not one meant to provoke lust.

The next day, near noon, they awoke after a night of exhausting but blissful passion.

Smiles spread across their faces as they saw each other’s bare forms. After planting a gentle kiss on Princess Xian Lie’s forehead, Fang An rose and carried his wife for a shared bath.

Meanwhile, in the hall—now returned to its original state—Emperor Li Wei, Zhao Wen, Zhao Jian, and the court officials were discussing the upcoming tournament to be held in a week.

"I hope both of you, Elders, can attend as judges for the tournament," said Emperor Li Wei to Zhao Wen and Zhao Jian.

"It seems I won’t be able to, Your Majesty. Let Hesa come to represent me," Zhao Jian replied.

"Actually, there's no need for the two of us, Your Majesty. Let Fang An be the judge for the tournament," Zhao Wen added.

The sound of the hall door opening made everyone turn.

Fang An entered, grinning sheepishly from waking up late, causing him to be late for the meeting.

Zhao Wen shook his head. He thought Fang An's behavior was strikingly similar to Fang Yun, whom he had spent many years with.

"Hmm... Someone seems happy," Zhao Wen teased, chuckling.

Being sharp-witted, Fang An responded in his own way. "You're right, Uncle. If I’d known marriage was this good, I would’ve done it long ago."

Everyone in the hall burst into laughter at Fang An’s reply—including Emperor Li Wei and Zhao Jian.

"See, Grandfather... Fang An isn’t much different from his father. The saying 'the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree' seems absolutely true," said Zhao Wen with a laugh.

"You’re right, Hesa. I feel like I’m seeing Fang Yun in Fang An’s body," Zhao Jian replied.

Suddenly, the hall fell silent after Zhao Jian mentioned Fang Yun. Jaya and the other officials were stunned as they realized Fang An was the son of one of the most revered figures in the martial world.

Their respect for Fang An grew. Aside from being Princess Xian Lie’s husband, his father’s legacy elevated him beyond even a king’s status.

Two days later, Qian Hui appeared in Fang An’s thoughts as he meditated beside his wife.

"Forgive me, Grandmother. It seems our travel plans must be postponed for a few days. In five days, there will be a palace tournament, and I’ve been asked to judge," said Fang An.

"I didn’t come to ask about your journey, Fang An. I came to congratulate you on your wedding. Your father and mother already know—you can thank me for that."

"Really? How did they react, Grandmother?" Fang An asked, curious.

"They’re happy, Fang An. They hope that by the time you return, your wife will already be carrying their grandchild. And from what I’ve seen, that wish may come true."

"What do you mean, Grandmother?" Fang An was puzzled.

"It seems you’re even more impressive than your father, Fang An. In just three days, your wife is already with child."

Fang An covered his mouth in shock. "Did I hear that correctly, Grandmother?"

"You did, Fang An. If you don’t believe me, wait two more weeks. You’ll see the changes in your wife."

Fang An’s expression suddenly turned somber. "If I leave, who will protect my wife and child, Grandmother?"

"Don’t worry, Fang An. I’ll personally watch over my great-grandchild until they are born. I won’t let what happened to your father happen to you."

"Thank you, Grandmother." Fang An bowed his head.

Qian Hui vanished from Fang An’s view. The Queen of the Genie Kingdom atop Mount Xuebaoding had to return to her realm to deliver the good news to Fang Yun and Mei Hwa.