Chapter 28: Wu Cheng's Dream
Wu Cheng had a dream.
He dreamed that he was standing on the arena of the Weiping Martial Arts Hall, surrounded by his fellow disciples, elders of the hall, and martial artists from various sects who had come to watch the event. Among them were many martial heroes he had never met before. The air was filled with a cacophony of voices, but all eyes were focused on him.
"Wu Cheng wins!"
The judge's announcement echoed through the arena.
Wu Cheng slowly withdrew his fist, his gaze sweeping over his eldest senior brother, who was lying on the arena floor, as well as his second and fifth senior brothers, who had already lost and were now pale-faced with shock, seemingly unable to accept their defeat at his hands. The crowd below erupted in chatter.
"Wu Cheng actually won?!"
"He defeated the eldest senior brother, who’s at the peak of Dark Energy?"
"Who would have thought that the champion of Weiping Martial Arts Hall’s internal competition would be him?"
Wu Cheng listened to the discussions around him, his heart surging with joy. He had waited for this day for so long.
Master Lu Bushi walked forward slowly, stroking his beard with a rare smile of approval. "Wu Cheng, you are now the top disciple of our sect. I am pleased. From now on, you will be the hall master of Weiping Martial Arts Hall."
Wu Cheng, moved, cupped his fists in gratitude. "Thank you, Master, and thank you, Senior Brothers. I will not disappoint you! I will make Weiping Martial Arts Hall the strongest in Jingkou, and even the strongest in the entire Rudy Kingdom!"
His master nodded in satisfaction, his gaze shifting to the crowd. "In that case, I shall take the liberty to arrange the marriage of Wan'er to you."
Wu Cheng abruptly looked up and saw his junior sister, Lu Wan, standing among the crowd, her face slightly flushed, gazing at him with tender eyes. Cheers and congratutions erupted from the surrounding disciples.
His heart raced, feeling as if he had reached the peak of his life.
At this moment, he had finally gained the recognition of everyone, finally standing at the height of admiration!
On the day of the wedding, the martial arts hall was decorated with nterns, lively and festive. His fellow disciples, who had once looked down on him, now toasted and congratuted him. Those martial artists who had criticized him before were now all smiles, vishing him with fttery and compliments.
What made him even prouder was that those who had offended him in the past were now apologizing with lowered heads. His fifth senior brother, who had always targeted him, now approached with a face full of ingratiating smiles, toasting him, "Ninth Junior Brother, no, Hall Master, in the past, I was blind and failed to see your abilities. Please forgive me. From now on, I will serve you wholeheartedly."
Wu Cheng raised his cup and drank it all in one go, a smile pying on his lips. He said faintly, "Fifth Senior Brother, you're too kind. We are all from the same sect, no need to dwell on the past."
Fifth Senior Brother hurriedly nodded. "Yes, yes, you are now not just the Hall Master, but also the strongest martial artist in the hall. We will all rely on you in the future."
Wu Cheng felt a wave of satisfaction. This was what he had wanted! He was finally standing above everyone else, the center of attention.
As night deepened, the candlelight in the bridal chamber was warm, and the red curtains fluttered gently in the wind. Wu Cheng pushed open the door and saw his junior sister lying quietly on the bed, covered by a red wedding quilt, seemingly already asleep.
He walked to the bedside and called softly, "Wan'er?"
The bride did not respond.
He smiled, thinking she must have been exhausted from the day's events and had gone to sleep without waiting for her groom.
He gently reached out and traced the exposed part of her back with his fingers. The skin felt like the finest silk, smooth and delicate. The warm sensation transmitted from his fingertips to his heart, causing his breath to momentarily halt and his heartbeat to quicken.
He couldn’t help but recall how his junior sister had looked at the wedding banquet, her beauty surpassing that of flowers. Her autumn-like eyes always stole gnces at him. When she noticed he was looking at her, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and even her earlobes had a hint of shyness. She lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze, but when the crowd teased them, she couldn’t help but smile and look at him. In that instant, the tenderness in her eyes seemed to drown him, making his heart flutter.
At this thought, his heart seemed to catch fire, and his body instinctively leaned forward, moving closer to her side. The faint fragrance of her body filled his nostrils. He couldn’t help but wonder, if she were awake at this moment, would she look at him shyly like she did earlier? Would she gently push him away and scold him, saying, "Stop teasing!" Or would she obediently snuggle into his embrace and softly call him "Husband!"
At that moment, his emotions were in turmoil, as if an invisible fme had ignited inside him. He reached out, intending to pull her into his arms and feel the warmth that belonged to him. However, just then, he suddenly sensed a chill. Her body seemed stiff.
His heart clenched tightly, and the heat that had built up inside him was instantly repced by a strange feeling of dread.
He whispered, "Wan'er, today is our wedding night. Don’t ignore me."
The bride remained motionless, with no response.
Wu Cheng furrowed his brow, feeling the unease growing within him. He reached out and gently pulled her shoulder, turning her over so that her face was facing him.
Wu Cheng's pupils contracted sharply, and his limbs turned icy cold. His breath froze in an instant, and his chest rose and fell violently. His heart pounded in his chest as if it were about to burst from his throat. A bone-chilling cold crept up his spine and reached his neck. It felt as though a monstrous beast in the darkness was staring at him, sending a chill down his spine.
Wan’er’s face… was gone!
What he saw instead was a mass of broken and twisted flesh. Her face seemed to have been torn away by the cws of some beast, leaving only a bckened blood hole.
Wu Cheng’s stomach churned violently, the food and wine from earlier rising in his throat.
"Ah!!" Wu Cheng screamed in terror, his voice exploding from his throat, filled with overwhelming fear and panic.