#36: The Wedding

The grand wedding took place in the main hall. Shi Luoyi sat in the bridal sedan, departing from her former maiden chamber. Her vision was obscured by the red veil as joyful music filled the immortal mountain, and the little spirits surrounded her, chattering lively blessings.

Before leaving the courtyard, they were still chattering away.

“Fairy, you look so beautiful today—I’ve never seen a fairy as lovely as you are now.”

“To be the fairy’s husband must be a great happiness!”

“Dao Lord said we’re not allowed to drink on Bu Ye Mountain normally, but since today is such a joyous occasion, can we make an exception and have a little wine?”

In the corner, a young white wolf pounded its fists against the wall in frustration: “When I grow up, I’m going to take Miss Luo Yi back!”

It was quickly ganged up on by the other spirits: “Don’t talk nonsense! The fairy adores Master Bian. Even when you grow up and transform, you won’t hold a candle to him.”

The little white wolf bared its teeth fiercely, stubborn to the core, refusing to back down even as it got beaten.

Shi Luoyi leaned out of the sedan chair and chuckled softly: “Enough. You’re not allowed to follow me outside. Stay here and behave yourselves. Today, many powerful cultivators are gathered, and some might not look kindly upon you. For your own safety, you must obey orders. Later, I’ll send someone with some wine—but don’t drink too much, and return quietly to the mountains in the evening!”

Upon hearing they’d be allowed to drink, the spirits cheered.

Underneath the veil, her jade pendants tinkled softly.

Shi Luoyi hadn’t been surrounded by such warmth and liveliness for a long time. Her heart felt cozy and full of hope.

The spirits had been her childhood playmates—pure-hearted creatures that made her own heart once equally pure.

Now, compared to when she had first returned after rebirth, everything was better. The only regret was that her father was still slumbering in the Delusion Sea and hadn’t yet come home.

But she believed that one day, he would return.

The bridal sedan swayed gently as it moved outward. At first, Shi Luoyi didn’t feel much like a bride. She only felt warm and hopeful until the sedan stopped, and someone leaned inside, lifting her into his arms.

Instinctively, Shi Luoyi wrapped her arms around his neck.

She recognized him—it was Bian Lingyu.

She hadn’t expected him to carry her. According to the customs of Nan Yue, a bride was to be carried over the threshold by her groom. Given Bian Lingyu’s frail health, Shi Luoyi certainly wouldn’t impose such a requirement on him.

She had even arranged for others to help him ascend the heavenly steps. But where had those people gone?

“Bian Lingyu?” She dared not speak loudly, only whispering his name.

After a long pause, he responded softly: “Mm.”

Whether it was her imagination or not, she detected a hint of awkwardness in his tone and felt the tension in his body.

Shi Luoyi thought Bian Lingyu found her too heavy. She regretted not being as light as a willow branch, wishing she could ease his burden.

With all the cultivators watching under their gaze, she couldn’t voice her concerns and could only close her mouth, nervously waiting for Bian Lingyu to carry her up the heavenly steps.

The heavenly steps were long, and though Bian Lingyu walked slowly, his steps were steady.

Held in his arms, Shi Luoyi caught the scent of him. It was like cold mist mingled with cedarwood.

She couldn’t quite describe it—a very pleasant aroma.

A breeze swept across the heavenly steps, slightly lifting her veil. Instinctively, she tried to reach out and press it down, but someone beat her to it, firmly pressing the veil back in place, preventing anyone from glimpsing her features beneath.

She lifted her gaze in surprise to look at Bian Lingyu.

All she saw was red; she couldn’t see his face, only the warmth of his broad chest.

Shi Luoyi suddenly realized that all this warmth and hope came from Bian Lingyu. How strange fate was. In her past life, she hadn’t spared him a glance, her memories filled only with harsh words and humiliation toward him.

The mythical birds sang in unison in the sky, and vast fields of ice lotuses bloomed across Bu Ye Immortal Mountain. After ascending the heavenly steps, they could no longer follow mortal rituals—they had to invoke the heavens as witnesses and sign the contract as cultivators.

The golden contract floated in the air. Bian Lingyu had already added his blood, and now Shi Luoyi needed to raise her hand to add hers.

One who has been unlucky for too long tends to expect trouble even during significant moments. Shi Luoyi braced herself for interruptions, given how nothing went smoothly in her past life. However, as her blood merged with Bian Lingyu’s without incident, she was astonished by how smooth everything was.

She lowered her eyes to the marriage contract and smiled sincerely.

With no complications, the sect leader could only offer his blessings from his high seat.

Almost all the powerful cultivators of the realm were gathered here today. When the sect leader offered his blessings, his tone was gentle. Afterward, he added: “If you two ever face difficulties, you can always come to me, Elder Shibo.”

To anyone else, this would be understood as mere courtesy.

But sword cultivators weren’t like that—they didn’t understand subtleties. Shi Luoyi eagerly spoke up: “Elder Shibo, there is indeed something I wish to ask of you!”

The sect leader’s smile stiffened slightly, but he replied warmly: “Luo Yi, feel free to speak your mind.”

This was the moment Shi Luoyi had been waiting for.

“The favor I seek isn’t directed at you, Elder Shibo, but rather at all the uncles and elders present here today. All of you know that ten years ago, my father fell into slumber in the Delusion Sea and hasn’t awakened since. Later, the mountain’s protective barrier shattered, and the sect leader has tirelessly protected me over these years. As a child, I was ignorant and caused much trouble—I am deeply sorry to the sect leader and my fellow disciples. Now that I have my Dao partner, I wish to inherit my father’s legacy and guard Bu Ye Mountain, ensuring that no demonic beasts wreak havoc.”

Under her veil, the young woman spoke clearly: “However, while I wish to protect the mountain, my strength is insufficient. With only a Core Formation cultivation level, I cannot maintain the mountain’s protective barrier. If all the elders here today could lend me a portion of their spiritual energy to suppress the demonic beasts, both I and the countless beings of Bu Ye Mountain would be eternally grateful.”

Her words were spoken with utmost sincerity.

The hearts of those present stirred.

In truth, most of the powerful cultivators left behind today were no longer as righteous as Shi Huan and others had been in the past. Ten years ago, during the chaos of demons and the collapse of heaven and earth, righteous cultivators fearlessly rushed to the Delusion Sea and desert to exterminate the fallen demons.

Under such overwhelming power, all beings were as insignificant as ants. The scenes back then were devastating, with almost no survivors.

Most of the high-level cultivators remaining today valued their lives above all else, though a few stayed behind with tears in their eyes, hoping for the future of their sects and the cultivation world.

But whether they were the former or the latter, Shi Luoyi was certain they would agree to her request.

First, it was her wedding day, and this was the only favor she earnestly requested.

Second, Shi Huan had once single-handedly suppressed countless demonic beasts beneath Bu Ye Mountain and was revered as a Dao Lord. His achievements were still praised throughout the land. Today, if the powerful cultivators present lent their spiritual energy to forge a new protective barrier for Bu Ye Mountain, suppressing the beasts, their names would also be remembered for eternity.

Regardless of whether their intentions stemmed from righteousness or personal calculations, no one would refuse her.

As expected, the crowd readily agreed to Shi Luoyi’s request.

If one person were to guard Bu Ye Mountain for a long time, it might be difficult. But with so many people contributing their spiritual energy, it would be effortless.

For Shi Luoyi, the only downside to this plan was that it exposed Bu Ye Mountain to the scrutiny of countless spiritual energies—essentially laying the mountain bare before everyone’s eyes.

But as the saying goes, misfortune can bring fortune in its wake. What she sought was a balance of power among the ten directions. Now, the sect leader could no longer act against Bu Ye Mountain or herself. If others were curious about what lay within, let them look all they wanted. On the day Dao Lord Shi Huan awakened, they would naturally leave her home.

What Shi Huan cared about most had always been the safety of his daughter and the lives of sentient beings—not the treasures or mysteries of Bu Ye Mountain.

The sect leader stared at Shi Luoyi, his smile enigmatic after a long pause: “Good, good. My little niece has truly grown up.”

Shi Luoyi couldn’t see his expression under her veil, but she could imagine how close he must have come to being infuriated by her clever maneuver.

In the back of the crowd, Jiang Qi, who had been observing the scene, gave an almost imperceptible smirk.

After two lifetimes, she had finally reclaimed Bu Ye Mountain. Even as she was helped back to her room, Shi Luoyi couldn’t stop smiling.

No matter how happy she was, she didn’t forget to complete the wedding rituals.

Shi Luoyi always did things thoroughly. Since she had started with mortal customs, she allowed the matchmaker and a few maids to escort her back to the bridal chamber after the ceremony was completed.

In the courtyard, the spirits were sprawled drunkenly, nearly scaring the maids.

Shi Luoyi laughed softly, urging everyone to quickly return to their caves and not sleep in the courtyard. The flower spirits were the first to sober up, blushing furiously as they remembered something, then dragging the other spirits away.

Once the courtyard was quiet, Shi Luoyi waved her hand and instructed Hui Xiang to find an excuse to bring Bian Lingyu back.

She couldn’t just leave him there. After all, drinking was part of the Dao partner celebration in the cultivation world, and she had already been worried about his health.

Her vision was still obscured by the veil, so she hadn’t yet seen the layout of the room or realized the gravity of the situation.

Meanwhile, the maids’ faces flushed red.

Hui Xiang reluctantly accepted the task, glancing back repeatedly as she walked. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was bound to go wrong sooner or later.

At Xue An’s table, Hui Xiang spotted Bian Lingyu.

She arrived a bit late. All the wine jugs on the table were empty. The liquor in the cultivation world was potent—Xue An and the others were already unconscious, but Bian Lingyu remained standing.

Xue An mumbled incoherently: “How is this possible… how could she be you…”

Under the radiant moonlight of Bu Ye Mountain, Bian Lingyu stood like a deity, breathtakingly handsome.

A faint smile played on his lips, leaving Hui Xiang momentarily stunned. The smile was pure, tinged with both his usual aloofness and a hint of youthful recklessness.

She sighed softly, feeling an inexplicable pang of sorrow at such a simple smile.

Oh well, at least let him have some joy today.

After all, Miss Shi was terribly naive in these matters. If she didn’t want something, no one could force her.

When Bian Lingyu returned, Shi Luoyi had just dismissed the matchmaker and the maids. At this point, everything should have been over—but there was still the veil and the ceremonial wine.

However, since she and Bian Lingyu were only fake Dao partners, these formalities weren’t necessary. He likely wouldn’t enjoy them either.

As Bian Lingyu entered, Shi Luoyi caught the scent of alcohol mingling with the chill of the night.

Strangely, she thought of herself and Jiang Yan in the untransformed toad’s illusory realm. He had walked in just like this while she sat on the edge of the bed in her bridal gown, veiled.

Now, the scene seemed to repeat itself—but this time, it was her wedding with Bian Lingyu.

Sniffing the air, Shi Luoyi asked with concern, “How much did you drink?”

As she spoke, she reached to lift her veil, but a hand pressed down on hers. A low voice murmured, “Not much.”

Her wrist was gently held, and she blinked slowly.

Through the deep red veil, she could only make out a blurry figure in front of her. Unwilling to give up, she tried to pull the veil aside again—but it wouldn’t budge.

It was as if every effort she made was matched by his resistance.

Confused, she asked, “Bian Lingyu, what are you doing? Are you drunk?”

He said nothing, only preventing her from moving the veil.

The night breeze from the window stirred the warmth of the charcoal brazier, mingling with the strong scent of alcohol on him. Suddenly, Shi Luoyi had an epiphany: “Do you want to lift it?”

After a long pause, when she thought he wouldn’t respond, Bian Lingyu murmured softly, “Mm.”

Though his tone was light, Shi Luoyi heard him clearly. She hesitated, wondering if drunk people really became this strange.

Tentatively, she loosened her grip on the veil. Sure enough, Bian Lingyu released her as well.

“Then you lift it,” she said, suppressing a laugh. There was no need to fight him over this. She was curious—did drunk people really behave this oddly?

He slowly lifted the veil.

Through the flickering candlelight, she saw a pair of beautiful eyes, cold like a winter night. Bian Lingyu lowered his head, gazing at her.

The air carried a faint fragrance—whether it was the lingering scent of powder left by the matchmakers or the flowers in the courtyard, she couldn’t tell.

But meeting Bian Lingyu’s intense gaze, her throat inexplicably dried up, and she struggled to find words: “Um… have you ever had alcohol before?”

“No,” he replied.

“Oh.” She nodded. “Then you’re drunk.”

“Yes.”

Shi Luoyi had never met someone so straightforward. It felt strange—his gaze reminded her of only two instances. The first was when he had been sick, feverish, and nearly bitten her. The second was by the pond in Clearwater Village when she had tended to his wounds, and he had looked at her like this.

But never before had it made her throat feel so parched. She almost wanted to rudely cover his eyes and send him off to bed, stopping him from looking at her like this.

As she frowned slightly, he suddenly asked, “I have one bottle left. Do you want to drink it?”

“Eh?” Whatever it took to escape this awkward atmosphere, she quickly agreed.

True to his word, Bian Lingyu pulled a bottle of wine from his sleeve. The more Shi Luoyi looked at it, the more familiar it seemed. “Is this my father’s brewed Nv’er Hong?”

Bian Lingyu lowered his eyes, his hoarse voice replying, “I don’t know.”

Shi Luoyi took the bottle, thinking that he was indeed no longer fully lucid—such a fine treasure, and he had treated it like ordinary wine.

“Let’s drink. Come here, we’ll drink together.” It was a twist of fate—her father was indirectly witnessing her marriage. Though the marriage was fake, she missed her parents so much.

She sat at the table, expecting to coax him into joining her, but to her surprise, he came over on his own.

She poured him a cup, then poured one for herself, not forgetting the etiquette of cultivators as she clinked her cup against his in a friendly gesture. Bian Lingyu stared at his cup, silent for a moment, before drinking it with her without a word.

After finishing one cup of wine, paying tribute to her mother and missing her absent father, Shi Luoyi finally had the chance to take in the room around her.

Her gaze swept across the space, her smile gradually fading and her expression growing increasingly stiff as she realized exactly what that wretched fox spirit had done!

Horrified, she looked up, only to find Bian Lingyu quietly watching her.