In the back mountain of the Xiān Gōng Sect, Mu Hanyang knew nothing about Feng Qingyun’s arrival and departure. He was drunk, too drunk to even realize when he fell asleep, accompanied by the illusion of his dead lover. In his heart, he believed that after tomorrow’s ceremony, he could no longer face the person who gave their life for him and the people of the world.
So at the last moment, filled with thousands of hopes and tender feelings, he could only fantasize about seeing his one and only bride again in his dream…
…But unfortunately, things never went as planned, and his dream quickly turned into a nightmare, making him relieve the events of that year. The warmth in his imagination, the candlelight wedding night that he could only dream about, failed to come true once again. Even in his own fantasies, his “bride” seemed to hate him, choosing to rather go to the dragon’s cave and die over and over again than look at him once more.
No… It shouldn’t have been like that…
His unwillingness to face the truth and the severe pain engraved in the depths of his memory made Mu Hanyang almost wake up from his dream, but the fire continued to burn, and the dream did not end. Instead, the picture turned, and the sky collapsed like a mountain, revealing the terrible black void behind it.
The only thing he could see was a man’s back, gradually moving away from him. Mu Hanyang held a plain letter and chased after him like crazy, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t catch up, just as weak as he was back when he dug inside the collapsed mountain with his mortal body.
The letter was already drenched in his blood. He suddenly looked at it in his dream, only to see a few words vaguely visible:
“From this departure with no return, I wish to sever all ties with you.”
“… ?!”
Mu Hanyang suddenly woke up and broke in a cold sweat. He raised his eyes and looked at everything around him doubtfully, unable to come back to reality until the cold wind on the top of the mountain started to cut at his bones. His brain which was still entangled in that horrible nightmare finally came to its senses under the gentle temperature of the rising sun. Mu Hanyang suddenly realized that today was his wedding day.
When the morning sun moved east and climbed to the middle of the canopy, it was time for the Dao ceremony to commence. However, somewhere in the dark, he didn’t know whether it was because of the bloody wedding he dreamed about, or just his hangover, and yet…
… Mu Hanyang felt that something bad was going to happen.
For a moment, the memories of that illusory word he got stuck into subtly overlapped with the sunshine in front of him. He suddenly felt that the morning sun was so red that it was a little too ominous, making his throat ache. The bloody sky looked just like the rivers of blood and tears his unwedded wife shed, pressed under the collapsed Fulong Mountain.
Mu Hanyang shook his head violently, trying to erase those strange associations from his mind. He took a deep breath. Even if his heart was deeply rooted in love and even if he lived with a lot of remorse, he still had to cheer up. Today was his wedding day, so he couldn’t let the whole world see his jokes. After suppressing the dark throbbing in his heart, he got up and walked down the top of the mountain.
…………….
At the same time, in the bedroom on the other side of the mountain.
“I’ll pay you back later, just regard it as part of your dowry… Just think of it as me owing you a debt.”
“As for the way of ascending that I still owe to you… I’ll tell you next time.”
Feng Qingyun slowly opened his eyes, but they were still filled with a sense of daze and loss that had not faded. The memories that had not been investigated for many years and were almost forgotten surged into his mind overnight, and in the gaps between those dusty conjectures, he seemed to suddenly realize something incredible.
The Dragon God he married and accompanied in death while trapped in that illusory world… He seemed to have been…
Feng Qingyun suddenly didn’t dare to think about it carefully. At that time, after he woke up from the fantasy world and everyone was expelled from the secret realm, he not only found that there was no damage to his cultivation but also that his foundation was more solid.
Therefore, he didn’t think much about it at all. He just thought it was a gift experience and soon left everything that happened in that illusion behind.
Of course, he wouldn’t have thought that the one who personally sent him to die in the dragon’s cave for the sake of the world would be the person he had most longed for. What’s more, he wouldn’t have thought that Mu Hanyang, the dignified leader of the Righteous Path, would spend the rest of his life trapped in the clutches of a heart demon of his own making.
Feng Qingyun suddenly felt that the world was ridiculous. It turned out that the man he had admired for a hundred years was the same “groom” who condemned him to death. Maybe some things were simply predestined from the very beginning.
And when the irony faded away, the subtle speculations that had been left in the corner of his mind subconsciously surged to the surface again. Since he was not the only one who was thrown into that fantasy world, and since Mu Hanyang also played a part, then would that man also…
The peach blossoms jade hairpin that he had crushed right before his rebirth suddenly appeared in his mind, just as surprisingly as it had appeared on his table that day. Feng Qingyun’s heart jumped suddenly, and he couldn’t help pursing his lips. If that was the case, then his first husband in both this life and the last one had always been… The dragon, the emperor of the demon world…
Him, right?!
That matter had not been decided yet, but all the nonsense Long Yin had spouted before he died in their previous life somehow exploded in Feng Qingyun’s mind. His ears immediately turned red, and he couldn’t wait to find a crack to get in, stopping his thoughts in an effort to escape.
But before he could think of that guess a little longer, a familiar spiritual fluctuation suddenly came from outside the hall. The next moment, a person appeared in his bedroom without even saying a simple hello.
Feng Qingyun suddenly came back to his senses and immediately sat up from the bed. He just woke up, so his hair was slightly messy, and the flush on his face from thinking about Long Yin had not yet disappeared. However, that person came awkwardly and did not give him any time to tidy up his appearance at all.
Mu Hanyang originally planned to ask Feng Qingyun about today’s ceremony without distractions, but when he saw the other party’s appearance, he couldn’t help being stunned. He almost subconsciously thought that Feng Qingyun showed such a flushed look because… He was about to marry him.
Thinking of that, Mu Hanyang’s heart turned a little subtle for a moment. The younger brother whom he had raised with his own hands actually showed such a look to him, who was also a man. As someone who didn’t swing that way, he should have felt disgusted…
…But for a moment, the figure of the lover in his memory seemed to coincide with the person in front of him.
But soon, he immediately dispelled the idea after a sudden jump in his heart – how could he compare his younger brother with Miss Yu?! That alone was simply a blasphemy to her! As if to cover up his inexplicable excitement, Mu Hanyang pretended to smile casually and said: “Why did Junior Brother get up so late today? Did you have a sweet dream last night?”
Normally, Feng Qingyun should have smiled embarrassedly and then stumbled over his words. But at that moment, he didn’t say anything, simply looking at Mu Hanyang for a few seconds as if it was the first time he saw him.
And those beautiful and clear eyes… They were cold and completely devoid of any emotions.
Mu Hanyang’s heart jumped when he saw that. Just as he wanted to say something, Feng Qingyun’s next words made him suddenly freeze in place: “Brother, I think we need to discuss today’s ceremony.”
Mu Hanyang’s face stiffened, and his whole body seemed to be slapped alive. His confidence was crushed to the ground in an instant. After a long time, he asked in disbelief: “…Why?!”
Feng Qingyun lowered his eyes and whispered: “Senior never agreed to my feelings. In that case, it’s better to go our separate ways…”
Before those words even left his mouth, that bloody letter from his nightmare stabbed into Mu Hanyang’s thoughts like a knife. An uncontrollable panic suddenly rose in his heart, and he immediately said: “What nonsense are you talking about?! Today, the guests are already here, and everyone in the world is watching us! Do you want to let them see our sect’s joke? Qingyun, have you ever thought about the reputation of your fellow disciples? What about Master? Have you ever thought about her face?!”
The effect of his words was outstanding, making Feng Qingyun really stop in place, but not in the way he hoped. The reputation of the Righteous Path, the gaze of his friends… All the honors and disgraces, “saving face” and whatnot, all of it was more important than the ceremony itself.
Feng Qingyun didn’t notice the trembling in Mu Hanyang’s voice, nor did he care what Mu Hanyang thought. After all, there was no more pity left after Feng Qingyun’s rebirth. Mu Hanyang didn’t know that what awaited him was already irreversible. Since there was no point in getting together only to break up later, the bond should be broken thoroughly.
Perhaps the silence of the bedroom was too strange. Sensing his impatience, Mu Hanyang rarely softened his tone and asked: “Qingyun, what’s wrong with you? Do you have something to tell Senior Brother?”
“It’s nothing.” When Feng Qingyun heard his words, he just lowered his eyes and whispered: “Brother, don’t worry about me. Go get ready for the ceremony.”
…………….
The bright red satin was as beautiful as in those years and just as red as blood, decorating the entire Xiān Gōng Sect, looking both pure and extremely festive. After the sun rose in the east and the fairy music sounded in unison, cultivators from all walks of life descended from the clouds, like cranes resting on Earth.
Even the weather was particularly bright as if Heaven itself knew there were happy times ahead. Under the Heavenly Gate, hundreds of guests started to come and go endlessly. Because Feng Qingyun had no direct disciples, Liu Wu, Mu Hanyang’s oldest disciple, was in charge of directing the guests. The seats had been arranged in advance by Feng Qingyun, so Liu Wu only needed to guide everyone to their place. After sitting down, many cultivators directly used their divine consciousness to talk to their acquaintances:
“Zhang Daoyou, long time no see!”
“Hello, Senior Yang, you’re already back from the Galan Mountain? Congratulations!”
“I didn’t expect Lord Mu to arrange the position so properly! It’s really thoughtful.”
“In that case, the ceremony can be held without any issues… Lord Mu is really a role model for our generation!”
“Alas, it’s really admirable to abandon his love and do so much for his younger brother…”
Despite the fact that he didn’t lift a single finger in organizing the wedding, most of the guests still praised Mu Hanyang in their conversations, and not Feng Qingyun.
And a small part of those conversations were quite dirty.
Speaking in such a way, even bystanders could clearly hear the meaning of their words, that was, Feng Qingyun insisted too much and was too obsessed with his brother. It was nothing more than his Lord Mu’s willingness to spoil him that granted him the opportunity to have that day’s ceremony.
Liu Wu heard all of those words, but he just listened without saying anything, not showing any intention of stopping them. However, in a place where no one noticed, a seemingly ordinary man without any trace of cultivation unexpectedly walked straight into the Xiān Gōng Sect under the blind eyes of countless disciples.
On the other side, Feng Qingyun sat quietly in front of the bronze mirror, watching the little girl behind him slowly brush his hair, and the inky black strands of silk-like hair slipped between the comb’s teeth like a waterfall.
In fact, that step could be skipped directly, but Feng Qingyun was still forced to follow the process by Bai Ruolin. He looked through the mirror at his younger sister, who was acting more excited than him. For a moment, Feng Qingyun withdrew his eyes as if he were guilty, looking down at his fingertips.
He felt that his heart was being nibbled at by ants.
She was his only little sister, the only person he could never give up on… Therefore, he didn’t know how sad the little girl would be when he really left.
As for Bai Ruolin, she didn’t know anything about what her brother planned to do. After combing for the last time, she stood behind Feng Qingyun and looked at him through the mirror for a while, and then said with some indignation: “This doesn’t seem to be good enough, big brother…”
Feng Qingyun smiled at her words, but his smile was very light: “Ruolin, forget about that, there’s something more important to talk about. You’re already an adult. After this, the whole sect will rely on you.”
Bai Ruolin’s heart jumped suddenly, and she had an ominous premonition. Just as she was about to ask, Feng Qingyun took out a storage ring from nowhere, turned around, and put it in her hand.
Bai Ruolin was stunned: “This is–”
“There are spiritual stones and some elixirs in the storage ring, in addition to three sword charms.” Feng Qingyun smiled, as gently as Bai Ruolin remembered. “It’s a return gift. In the future, I won’t be able to spend more money on you.”
Bai Ruolin blushed and subconsciously defended herself: “I never asked you to spend money randomly anyway…”
The Xiān Gōng Sect was truly poor, and with Mu Hanyang’s way of living, there were basically no savings left. Bai Ruolin was even poorer, but to give Feng Qingyun a nice wedding gift, she gritted her teeth and spent a lot. Feng Qingyun didn’t say anything, only looking at her with a smile.
Bai Ruolin felt her face turn hot, and her ears started to buzz: “…I see, thank you, brother.”
As soon as she put away the precious storage ring, a burst of spiritual fluctuation came from outside the hall. Mu Hanyang’s other two disciples directly pushed the door in without saying a word, acting just as rude as their Master: “Uncle–”
When they saw Feng Qingyun sitting in front of the bronze mirror and dressed in a wedding dress, the two were suddenly stunned, and their eyes flashed in amazement. After coming to their senses, one of them came over and laughed mockingly: “Oh, no, no, we should call you Shi Niang from now on[mfn]Shi Niang is a respectful term used to address your master’s wife[/mfn].”
Seeing that Feng Qingyun didn’t say anything, the two of them took his silence as being embarrassed, so they laughed even more and said: “Shi Niang, don’t be embarrassed. We all know, didn’t you wait for today for so long? Be happy on your day of greatest joy.”
They may not have had any bad intentions but… Bai Ruolin couldn’t help frowning. However, because of that day’s wedding, she was afraid to hurt Feng Qingyun’s heart, so she didn’t say anything after all.
In fact, in his previous life, Feng Qingyun didn’t think much about it when he heard the two disciples’ words. After all, he did not feel any malice coming from the children he had raised with his own hands.
But after already experiencing a lifetime…
It turned out that in their eyes, everything Feng Qingyun was good for was to please Mu Hanyang.
Feng Qingyun remembered that when he was previously injured in his previous life, Mu Hanyang’s two disciples once said: “If one day Master gets to ascend, the Second Palace Master would definitely not be able to follow him. After all, he’s limited by his cultivation. He’d still be stuck managing our affairs.”
He also remembered how Bai Ruolin used to argue with Mu Hanyang’s three disciples, complaining about how he took strangers in and out of the sect at will, and how the disciples resolutely stood up and said: “If the sect has no place for Master and his friends, then we’ll go down the mountain with him and abandon you useless people!”
In that way, his Senior Brother was really the hero beloved by the entire world.
Thinking of that, Feng Qingyun closed his eyes and said lightly: “Don’t call me Shi Niang. From now on, just call me Uncle as you used to.”
The two disciples originally wanted to come and tease the “bride”, but Feng Qingyun’s tone stunned and made them nervous for some reason. They had a premonition that something was about to happen, but they could do nothing to stop it, so much so that after thinking about it for a second, their mockery turned into stuttering: “Shi… Uncle, Master let us inform you… To inform you that the ceremony is about to begin.”
Feng Qingyun got up and put on his crimson robe which was remarkably similar to the bloody wedding dress he had worn in the illusion.
“Then let’s go,” he responded.
……………………..
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