"This is the part where you exchange gifts..." the Demonhunter whispered to Pef as the Sect Elders gathered around Meili to congratulate her.

"I knew that" Pef mutttered back, and prepared a storage ring with his gift for the Yin Wood Sect inside. Then he thought again and placed the ring inside a jade box, and the box on a red pillow. Presentation also mattered.

He stepped forward and offered the pillow to the Matriarch with both hands.

The Steel Realm Eminence smiled faintly and received his gift, then offered him a wooden box inscribed with a dozen sealing and masking Formations.

He stored the box and smiled. His gift was likely more generous, but he needed goodwill in the Upper Heavens, especially with the prospect of war nearing ever closer. Any ally was a harbour in a storm after all.

In his inner world, an eager Avatar deftly solved the Formations and opened the box to find a small acorn inside, faintly glowing with Preservation Dao.

'Exactly 0.01% more Preservation. It is half of an Ascension to the 12th Tier, at least for me. It wouldn't mean much for anyone else, unless they were also stuck at 99.99 percent in Preservation Dao.' Pef mused inward, while the Icefire admired the new Tree Seed.

'I can't be sure, but a Tree Seed is overkill just to carry a small amount of Dao. A small essence pill would have sufficed, if that was the case.' Icefire spoke in a thoughful voice.

'You think the Matriarch detected my other Seeds?' Pef asked a bit concerned.

'I am quite certain that she did. Sword and Devour, perfectly matched with a Preservation Seed. They will form a stable plane and ensure a strong foundation...' Icefire added in slight awe.

Pef sighed in defeat. Once more, the plots and plans of higher tiers impacted him without even asking.

Just then, a portal opened to allow three more Steel Eminences to cross over, one of them being armored in an Eternium plate suit, while the others he recognized from the lectures at the Celestial Academy. The Void Array Wizard, also known as the Formation Master and the Beasthunter, a Body Cultivator with a preference for hunting strong beasts and somehow not dying.

They nodded at the Matriarch, and then at the Demonhunter and the Life Goddess, before heading directly to Pef.

"Divine Cook, I came to express my gratitude for your Dao Fruit. Anything you need of me, I will help you back. Once." the Array Wizard spoke first, and bowed towards Pef making the entire gathering gasp. The favour of a Steel Eminence proclaimed publicly like this was a major event, and basically unheard of. Not for a minor Iron Realm at least. Steel Eminences traded favours between themselves, not with lower ranked cultivators.

Next the Beasthunter came forward and bowed even lower, then rose and smacked his muscular chest with a fist. "Should you need my fist someday, I will be there, Divine Cook. Hopefully against a beast of some kind..." The people at the wedding giggled a bit at the awkward Beasthunter, who was widely known for being a brawny person.

Then the Eternium Knight came forward and offered Pef a small bottle, barely the size of his small finger. "Should you find yourself in peril, drink this and you'll obtain the power to survive, Divine Cook." then she moved in front of Lady Meili

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

and examined her for a long minute. "Yin, huh? I guess the boy is lucky like that. And so are you, Lady Meili. You gained a great husband."

With those words, the armored woman turned and walked back into the portal with her escorts.

"That was a bit strange. Wizard being greatful? I saved his skin a dozen times and he never said thanks." Demonhunter grumbled in a low voice.

Pef stored the bottle just as the Life Goddess appeared at his side. "Beasthunter advanced to his 3rd Star. Perhaps he also drank a cup of special wine, huh?"

"Most likely, my lady. His skin appeared freshly healed as well. And he looked tired." Pef answered after reviewing the encounter in his mind.

"And if my senses aren't wrong, the Eternium Knight also reached the 3rd Star. Right, Demonhunter?" the Life Goddess asked a bit rhetorical.

"Did she train you like that as well, Divine Cook?" the Demonhunter asked with a strange voice, his eyes seeming warm and kind for some reason.

"I'd say, much worse. I even died once. She's going easy on him, or he's very durable. Probably both." Pef answered with a suffering sigh.

Surprising Pef, the Demonhunter patted his shoulder. "I know what you mean, my friend. I didn't grow these scales by accident."

"Well, I did kinda invite myself to your wedding, so I do have a gift for you, Divine Cook. Seeing as your Body Cultivation is only at Copper Realm..." The Life Goddess continued in a mild voice, and produced a Bronze Ranked root on a bronze plate.

"Many thanks, High Lady." Pef spoke in a polite voice, and accepted the plate with both hands.

He will have to analyze and Cook the new root for a better result, but advancing his Body Cultivation was a great gift indeed.

The Demonhunter sighed. "That thing is a remnant of the Tree's Bramble Barrier that kept pests away from its gardens. You will grow spikes all over your body, if you eat it." he warned Pef, as if he would eat anything uncooked.

Pef shrugged unconcerned. "But it will grant me a Bronze Body, right?"

"Of course it will. Perhaps your talents as a cook will let you avoid the spikes as well? It would make for an awkward honeymoon otherwise." the Life Goddess quipped with an amused voice.

Thinking for a minute, he took out a small jar of Royal Honey, and offered it to the Life Goddess. "The Old Queen made this honey, over a million years. May it sweeten your day, my lady."

"How cute! Rare and valuable too, I suppose. Well, I was hoping for a challenge to your marriage, maybe a few duels. This wedding is too boring, so I'm off." the woman spoke in a bored voice, then vanished.

As the wedding came to an end, Pef had collected a large amounts of gifts from the invited people, everything from crystals and jewelry to cultivation aids and Dual cultivation books, with pictures as well.

The Matriarch made a final appearence, just before Pef was ready to go. "Be careful of the Life Goddess, Divine Cook. Her main talent is in venoms and poison."

The Demonhunter rose a finger as if to inteject, then lowered it. "I won't say anything. But you're not much better, Yin Matriach."

"True. A rose needs its thorns, and the smell of freshly cut grass is only pain. I look forward seeing how the Legion guards their garden, once they obtain it." the Matriach answered with a sad voice, then faded away.

Pef glanced at Meili. "We'll meet back at the Academy. I have a small war to win now."

"Hmmm. You better advance a few more Stars then. Just to be safe." she answered then kissed him with intent.

Pef waved back and stepped into a Blue portal, right next to the Taotie and the Silent Monk. Towering over them, the Immortal Nine-Shades Bamboo had advanced to Eleven-hues, since it was now at Tier 11 just like him.

And for that matter, the Taotie was in the Iron Realm as well.

"Master! You're finally back. That stupid glove tortured me!" the beast complained and jumped into his arms like loving cat.

"You seem fine though. Almost 2nd Star as well." Pef countered with a kind voice.

"I'm bored here. When do we go to a proper war?" the Taotie asked with an earnest voice.

Pef smiled at the Silent Monk, then stepped through another portal into the Indigo Realm of the Pagoda, where the Legion had its headquarters and command center.

Hundreds of familiar faces lit up when they saw him. "Pef, hubby! You always get in trouble!" Aria yelled and jumped to kiss and hug him, followed by his other wives.

Pef heart warmed up. He was back home.