When the invitations were sent out, they caused an uproar in every corner of the city.
For days, the news dominated conversations in the cultivation world, shocking all who heard it.
Lady Aurora Harlow, a cultivator of immense power who had already reached the Celestial Ascension realm, was known to be on the path to near immortality.
If nothing catastrophic befell her, she could easily live for 10,000 years. Her strength alone commanded respect, and her status among cultivators was unquestionable.
But what truly sent shockwaves through the city was not her impending marriage—it was her choice of husband.
The idea that someone of her caliber, a woman who had once been married to the illustrious Sword Saint, would cast him aside and choose to wed a mere mortal—someone without even a shred of cultivation—was beyond comprehension.
It defied logic. It was, to many, utterly ludicrous.
Speculation ran rampant. Countless people rushed to confirm whether the information was true.
How could someone like Lady Aurora, a figure practically worshipped for her talent and potential, sink so low?
The Sword Saint was a hero, a legendary cultivator feared and admired across countless regions. He had achieved what most could only dream of.
And yet, she had chosen to abandon him—to marry a man who, by all accounts, was nothing more than trash in the eyes of the cultivation world.
This was not just unusual—it was borderline madness.
"Could it be a mistake?" some whispered.
"Perhaps it's a misunderstanding," others suggested, unwilling to believe that someone of Lady Aurora's standing would make such a baffling choice.
The more cynical voices dismissed it as foolishness, calling it an act of self-destruction.
After all, why would a woman of her stature, with limitless potential and an eternity of cultivation ahead of her, tie herself to a mortal who wouldn't live a fraction of her life?
It seemed impossible. Absurd. Some even labeled it an act of insanity, a decision that only someone with a mind clouded by emotion or turmoil would make.
Yet, among the wise and ancient cultivators, there was a sense that the situation was far more complicated.
While the younger, less experienced individuals saw only the surface—an absurd marriage between a mighty immortal and a mortal who would never reach her heights—the seasoned cultivators understood better.
The world of cultivation was rarely straightforward, and nothing of this magnitude was ever as simple as it appeared.
"What's really going on here?" they wondered.
There were whispers that Lady Aurora was playing a game far more intricate than anyone realized. Some speculated that this marriage was a ploy, a part of some deeper, hidden strategy.
Others suggested that she might have reasons beyond mere emotion—perhaps a powerful secret lay behind her decision, one that only she knew.
Despite the ridicule and disbelief swirling around her, the wisest of them knew that Lady Aurora was no fool.
If she had chosen to take such a drastic step, there was undoubtedly more to the story than met the eye.
What it was, no one could say for certain, but they sensed that only Lady Aurora held the answer to the riddle, and it would not be revealed easily.
But perhaps the most surprised of all was another strikingly beautiful woman, her features flawless and regal.
She sat in her chamber, lost in thought, until the sudden arrival of her maidservant interrupted her reverie.
"Miss, I have big news!" The maidservant burst in, her excitement barely contained as she rushed forward, eager to share the latest rumor.
Without waiting for a reply, she began detailing the astonishing news from outside.
"Everyone's talking about it! Lady Aurora Harlow is marrying Young Master Quinn! Can you believe it? Lady Aurora, one of the most powerful cultivators in the city, marrying a man who was thought to be a mortal!" the maidservant's voice trailed off in awe.
"Young master Quinn and Lady Aurora... these two don't belong to the same world, and yet…" The beautiful woman's brow furrowed as she said these words.
Her thoughts drifted, replaying the words in her mind. Lady Aurora and Quinn? It seemed impossible, almost surreal.
She had known Quinn for a long time. The man who had followed her around, eager to please, always desperate for her approval.
And now, the idea that he would marry someone as powerful as Lady Aurora Harlow seemed beyond belief.
She tapped her fingers lightly against the arm of her chair, her posture poised and elegant.
Even in this moment of contemplation, her beauty was breathtaking. Her figure was a vision of perfection, her body exuding both grace and sensuality.
Despite the modest dress she wore, her voluptuous curves were impossible to ignore, drawing attention even when she wasn't trying to.
The maidservant hesitated, watching her mistress carefully, then spoke again, this time more cautiously. "Miss... do you regret breaking off your engagement with Young Master Quinn? After all, for someone like Lady Aurora to agree to marry him, there must be something extraordinary about him, don't you think? It's hard to imagine she would settle for anything less than the best."
The beautiful woman's expression remained calm, but her eyes darkened slightly. She shook her head, dismissing the maid's suggestion. "No. Even if I could turn back time, I wouldn't change my decision. There was never any love between us, no affection. Quinn was always... lacking." Her voice was steady, but there was an edge to her words, as if recalling memories she had long since buried.
She thought back to the man she had once known—the man who had revolved around her like a moon orbiting a distant star. He had been... weak.
Always so eager to please, so desperate to win her favor, as if his entire existence hinged on her approval.
Back then, Quinn had been nothing but a simp, too spineless to stand up for himself, too blinded by his infatuation to realize she had never truly cared for him.
Had something changed? The rumors swirling around him now painted a very different picture.
The Quinn she had known was no longer the Quinn that people were talking about. Somehow, he had become the center of attention, linked to Lady Aurora Harlow, a woman revered for her power and status. It didn't make sense.
What had happened to him? What had he done to capture the interest of someone as mighty as Lady Aurora?
The beautiful woman sighed, pushing those thoughts aside. Whatever had happened to him, it no longer mattered.
Her path had diverged from his long ago, and there was no point in dwelling on what could have been.
The Quinn of the past was not the man of the present, but her fate was her own, and she had no regrets.
Rising gracefully from her seat, she cast one final glance at her maidservant. "Quinn's fate is no longer my concern. Whatever changes he has gone through, they no longer involve me. I have my own journey to focus on." Her voice was firm, resolute.
With a determined stride, she left the room, her steps leading her toward the training ground. The cool air brushed against her skin as she approached, the familiar weight of her sword resting comfortably at her side.
This was where her focus needed to be—on perfecting her swordsmanship, advancing her cultivation, and ensuring that her own future would be one of strength and power.