The extra person was Song Yuzhi from the Song clan of Lingnan.
Having her participate in the wedding was also a form of compensation to the Song clan.
After all, even though it was four women marrying one man, her co-brides were no ordinary individuals.
Li Lizhi, the most favored sixth princess of the Great Tang, with the cultivation of a先天宗师 (Xiantian Grandmaster);
Wanwan, the contemporary Saintess of the Yin Kui Sect, a renowned genius in the Five Dynasties, with the cultivation of a
先天宗师中期 (mid-stage Xiantian Grandmaster);
Zhu Yuyan, the current sect leader of the Yin Kui Sect, the Yin Empress, possessing the cultivation of a 大宗师 (Great Grandmaster).
In such a lineup, Song Yuzhi, a mere first-rate martial artist, certainly gained considerable prestige and brought a sliver of fame to the Song clan.
As a force within the martial world, Song Yuzhi and her family had long since arrived in the Imperial City of Daxing and had witnessed the competition of the Five Dynasties' prodigies.
Moreover, Song Yuzhi, through her connections with the imperial family of the Great Sui, had participated in that secret test.
This was one of the conditions Song Yuzhi had agreed to for marrying Yang Hong.
If Song Yuzhi were fortunate enough to be chosen by a major sect, she would not have to marry Yang Hong.
Conversely, if she failed the test, she would obediently marry Yang Hong.
Unfortunately, Song Yuzhi, and indeed the Song clan's "carp leaping over the dragon gate" plan, ultimately failed.
Song Yuzhi's aptitude for immortal cultivation was too poor, and she was not selected.
Originally, Yang Hong and Song Yuzhi's wedding was scheduled for the fifteenth of August, but Song Yuzhi heard that several individuals who were about to enter a major sect would be marrying Yang Hong.
So, she simply requested to marry at the same time.
This led to the grand occasion of Yang Hong marrying four wives simultaneously.
This scene was likely to become a topic of conversation in the Imperial City of Daxing for many years to come.
Normally, according to the wedding ceremony, the next step would be to escort the bride and groom to the bridal chamber.
However, Yang Hong was locked out of the bridal chamber, and the four brides went to have their own fun inside.
"Alas~ what a hassle. I'm not marrying wives, I'm marrying four ancestors."
"But, I can properly 'discipline' that little girl Song Yuzhi later."
"Speaking of which, is Song Yuzhi really that beautiful? I haven't even seen her face yet."
"Also, I heard this Song Yuzhi is already 29 years old, eight years older than me."
The groom, locked outside the bridal chamber, grumbled a few more self-pitying words before turning to leave.
This new [Zhi Ruo Wang Wen Pavilion] had eight tall buildings, each occupying an acre of land. One of them was occupied, while the other seven were vacant. Yang Hong planned to find a random room to spend the night.
...
At the same time, in an unoccupied palace not far from the [Zhi Ruo Wang Wen Pavilion], a gray light flashed, and a large black dog appeared.
"Heh heh~ the little girls from the Xuan Yin Sect were too naive.
The Boundary Breaking Stone is not meant to be used in such a crude manner. Now that I've fused the Boundary Breaking Stone into my demon core, I can easily traverse all sorts of seals, barriers, and even small spatial dimensions."
This large black dog was the Tun Tian Du Jiao Lang Wang (Heaven Swallowing Unicorn Wolf King).
After obtaining the Boundary Breaking Stone given by Gong Yan of the Xuan Yin Sect, he didn't immediately break the steel cage that sealed him. Instead, he fused the Boundary Breaking Stone into his demon core.
This granted him some spatial traversal abilities.
However, he paid a considerable price for it. His demonic energy cultivation dropped directly to the second stage of Foundation Establishment, and his powerful physique entered a period of weakness.
The proud unicorn on his head also shrank and became hidden.
"Sniff~ sniff~ sniff sniff~ spiritual plants! There are spiritual plants here."
Just as the Tun Tian Du Jiao Lang Wang was about to leave, it suddenly smelled a pleasant scent and couldn't help but turn and run towards Yang Hong's Zhi Ruo Wang Wen Pavilion.
"This is a dog hole?"
"Who would set up a dog hole in such a large courtyard? This is bullying dogs!"
Upon reaching the outer wall, the Tun Tian Du Jiao Lang Wang was displeased to see the dog hole in the corner, feeling insulted.
Then, it took a few steps back and leaped up.
It landed on the top of the wall.
"Awooo~ Awooo~"
Before the Tun Tian Du Jiao Lang Wang could feel smug, its four paws felt a sharp pain.
It was glass. Yang Hong had embedded glass on the perimeter wall to guard against petty thieves.
Suppressing the urge to yelp further, the Tun Tian Du Jiao Lang Wang jumped down from the wall and walked unsteadily towards the location of the spiritual plants.
Although its physique was strong and it wasn't injured, the pain from being pricked was real.
However, its wolf howl was heard by Yang Hong in the distance.
And it made Yang Hong's eyes light up.
"Haha~ another cute doggy coming to deliver food? It's been a while since I had dog meat hot pot. Today is perfect for a hot pot, so happy."
You might wonder why Yang Hong, with his exquisite [Zhi Ruo Wang Wen Pavilion], would still have a dog hole?
It was precisely for those foolish dogs to walk into a trap and deliver food to him.
Ever since he began infusing his plants with power and cultivating special plants, cats and dogs had been coming to his place to steal food, and they always went for the best ones.
Therefore, he didn't stand on ceremony.
He would directly use those dogs as extra meals. For cats, it depended on their size; if too small, they'd be fertilizer; if large enough, he'd have a taste.
It wasn't that Yang Hong was cruel. If he didn't eat these cats and dogs, his planted crops would be eaten by them.
These were Yang Hong's provisions. Especially when he was just starting to plant, without these provisions, he would have starved.
Yang Hong sprinted towards the medicinal garden, thinking about where the dog might appear.
Currently, the highest quality item he had was undoubtedly the Green Jade Grape, but the one with the strongest aura and most fragrant scent was the Xuan Yang Ginseng.
"Holy crap! Stupid dog! How dare you!"
Upon reaching the medicinal garden, he indeed saw a black dog, the size of a calf, gnawing on the Xuan Yang Ginseng.
"Woof~"
The Tun Tian Du Jiao Lang Wang heard a human voice, looked up at Yang Hong, and let out a contemptuous bark before continuing to chew on the Xuan Yang Ginseng.
"Damn it~ I'll kill you!"
Yang Hong was furious, not because of the black dog's disdain, but because this Xuan Yang Ginseng was already a middle-grade, first-rank spiritual plant, the fastest-growing spiritual plant he had cultivated.
"Bang~ Bang~ Bang~"
Yang Hong struck the black dog with normal force, but the black dog only hummed comfortably and accelerated its chewing of the Xuan Yang Ginseng.
"Hiss~ This black dog ate the Xuan Yang Ginseng, did it evolve?"
Yang Hong muttered to himself, then used all his strength to strike the black dog's neck.
"Clang~"
The sound was like that of blacksmithing.
"Hiss~ It has indeed mutated, I can't hold back!"
Yang Hong unleashed his most familiar "Fierce Ox Fist," continuously striking the black dog's neck.
"Awooo~ Awooo~ Awooo~"
The Tun Tian Du Jiao Lang Wang was also stunned. This mortal, without internal energy or true qi, what was going on? How could he be so strong?
But it had no chance to ponder.
Having just broken through its seal, its strength was still quite weak. Furthermore, due to its carelessness, the Tun Tian Du Jiao Lang Wang, struck in a vital spot by Yang Hong, gradually lost its breath amidst the "clang~ clang~ clang~" sounds.
It was possibly the most ignoble seventh-rank demon king to have ever died.
Without exception!
"Phew~ this big black dog is really hard to kill! I used all the strength I had."
Looking at the completely lifeless big black dog, Yang Hong breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'll see if your throat is lined with steel! It's so hard!"
Yang Hong rubbed his reddened hands, pried open the big black dog's mouth, and reached inside its throat to feel around.
"Holy crap! It's Xuan Yang Ginseng. It's indeed the Xuan Yang Ginseng that mutated this big black dog."
Looking at the piece of Xuan Yang Ginseng, half a palm long and as thick as an infant's arm, in his hand, Yang Hong naturally assumed that the black dog had become so powerful because of the Xuan Yang Ginseng.
"Can't waste it, can't waste it. I'll stew this big black dog right now so as not to waste the medicinal efficacy of the Xuan Yang Ginseng."
Saying that, Yang Hong hoisted the big black dog and, carrying the piece of Xuan Yang Ginseng, dashed towards the small building of Concubine Zhou and the others.