CH 65

The scene inside the illusion continued to change, but Ji Ning felt his body suddenly grow heavy. Separated from the illusion, Fu Qinghan’s figure reappeared in front of him as he returned to the palace.

Looking from the outside, the illusion appeared as a cloud of mist. Although the colours that swirled inside it were vivid, the images couldn’t be seen clearly. Fu Qinghan appeared calm and indifferent as he said gently to Ji Ning. 

“I sensed the knot of fate appeared inside the phantom array. He should have already stated his hidden wish, did you discover what it was?”

Ji Ning’s heart fluttered slightly as he recalled what Ying Qianqiu had just said to him. He briefly hesitated, before saying to Fu Qinghan, “He wants to restore his clan.”

He didn’t reveal Ying Qianqiu’s second wish as he was worried it would anger Fu Qinghan. Uncertain about what to do next, he silently communicated with Future.

「If I want to mend the void, do I need to fulfil all their wishes?」 

【It is not necessary to fulfil all wishes.】Future responded,【But a wish that already exists in the original book will have nothing to do with the void. You have to satisfy a wish that arose after you appeared.】

He paused, then continued,【In Ying Qianqiu’s case, you have to marry him to satisfy his wish.】

But how could Ji Ning marry him? If he married Ying Qianqiu in front of Fu Qinghan and Yun Yuan, he was worried Yun Yuan would choose to destroy the Xuanhuan world…

As Ji Ning’s heart plunged into ice, Fu Qinghan carefully sensed the string of fate and shook his head, “That is not his true desire.”

“What?” Ji Ning asked, startled.

“I’ve observed his life. In his youth, he voluntarily hid his identity and left his family for revenge. Now that many years have passed, his close relatives have all passed away, while the rest of the clan have given up on cultivation and entered the mortal world.”

“Under his support, his clan is now a famous and prosperous family among mortals and his wish has been fulfilled.” Fu Qinghan said, “Did he mention any other things?”

“…” Ji Ning’s expression flickered. He opened his mouth a few times, but said nothing. 

Fu Qinghan could see he was finding it difficult to speak, so stroked his hair and said, “It doesn’t matter, you can just say it.”

“…It’s marriage.” Ji Ning lowered his head slightly, “His wish is to marry me.”

Fu Qinghan’s hand froze.

“That won’t work.” 

After a moment of silence, his hand started moving again, stroking the fluffy fox ears on Ji Ning’s head as he said softly.

“If the two of you get married, the connection of fate between you would become even stronger. After that, your lives would be irreversibly intertwined until one of you died.”

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What could he do, should he try and fulfil Yun Yuan’s wish first? But such a thing would be too difficult. There was no way Yun Yuan would obediently let him sever their thread of fate.

It was also impossible to ask Fu Qinghan to forcibly cut their connection. Even though Yun Yuan’s body was only a projection and his strength was limited, he was still a genuine cultivator who had reached the tribulation period.

Originally, Ji Ning had wanted to fulfil the wishes of the other protagonists first, before finally realising Yun Yuan’s so that the various planes could be separated. It didn’t matter if the lines of fate couldn’t be broken.

However, he hadn’t expected he would get stuck on the very first wish. Yun Yuan wouldn’t allow him to marry Ying Qianqiu and if he even found out the cultivator’s wish, he would probably kill him… 

Thinking about Yun Yuan, Ji Ning was suddenly worried he might appear in front of him at any moment, like an invisible knife pointed at his back. Fu Qinghan was also unhappy, the repetitive stroking of Ji Ning’s fox ears a sign that he was in a bad mood.

A strong bitterness swelled in Ji Ning’s heart. Half-heartedly he wondered if it would be better to die and ask Future to divide his body into ten pieces to give to the protagonists, just so he wouldn’t have to suffer any more torture.

As this thought occurred, Fu Qinghan suddenly retracted his hand, sighed, and said.

“If that’s the case, then you should get rid of the connection of fate inside the illusion.” He pointed toward the hazy mirage, “Take the place of the you inside the illusion and marry him inside the phantom array. That way you can fulfil his deepest desire and cut off your string of fate.” 

He lightly pushed Ji Ning’s shoulder, sending him back inside the illusion.

The surrounding scenery changed as he fell back inside the phantom array. His body felt unsteady and shaky, when he suddenly fell into a warm embrace.

Ji Ning looked up to see Ying Qianqiu’s face close to his own. He was still handsome, but appeared more mature than he had as a teenager, looking closer to his adult appearance. Yet his hair was still dark as night. Without the silver hair, his expression didn’t seem as cold and there was a softness in his eyes.

“What’s the hurry?” 

He steadied Ji Ning and asked.

Ji Ning glanced around and saw that he was inside his own courtyard, but the surrounding scenery had been renewed. The beams and columns of the building were painted in bright vermillion while red gauze hung high across the roof and fluttered in the night breeze. Inlaid into the four corners were shining pearls, reflecting the crimson of the courtyard around them.

I really want to get married…

Ji Ning suddenly felt this unexplainable emotion in his heart. Ying Qianqiu raised his hand to caress his cheek and said, “There have been so many things to do these past few days, you must be tired. Rest well tonight, we’re getting married tomorrow.” 

He took Ji Ning’s hand and escorted him to his room. Ji Ning had followed him in a trance for a while, but seeing Ying Qianiqu’s retreating back, he finally regained his senses. There was a trace of longing in his eyes as he whispered in a low voice.

“Would it really make you happy to marry me?”

His voice was very soft, but it easily carried to Ying Qianqiu’s ears. Ying Qianqiu turned, although his face was illuminated by the cold moonlight, the voice he spoke with was warm.

“You should know,” he said, “There is nothing I desire more than you.” 

“…”

Ji Ning’s heart trembled slightly. Ying Qianqiu closed the door behind him. Within moments, the illusion skipped forward in time as the moon disappeared and the sun began to rise, threatening daybreak. A few maid servants appeared outside his room, calling out to Ji Ning in soft voices, asking him to wake up, wash his face and change into his wedding clothes.

After receiving Ji Ning’s permission, they entered the room. They helped Ji Ning to wash himself, before helping him into his wedding clothes.

The wedding outfit was beautiful. The crimson silk was embroidered with intricate designs and built up layer by layer. It was extremely cumbersome to put on, but once the maids were finished, Ji Ning looked so alluring that they almost couldn’t bear to take their eyes off him. 

“Our young master Ning is really suited to red clothes. Anyone who saw you would be captivated.”

The maids covered their mouths and giggled, surrounding Ji Ning as he walked out into the courtyard. The guards of honour met him outside and led Ji Ning to a chariot in the centre of the procession.

The guards walked alongside Ji Ning as they travelled around the mountain. Wherever they walked, raindrops and flowers produced by qi fell around them. They circled the mountain three times before meeting up with the second group of honour guards. The two groups walked side by side. From the window of his carriage, Ji Ning caught a glimpse of Ying Qianqiu inside the other carriage.

This was a custom unique to the aristocratic families of this world. After travelling through mountains and rivers, the couple meet again, symbolising how the lovers would never be separated, no matter what challenges they face. 

By this time, the sun had risen high in the sky and the guards of honour returned to the Ji mansion. The grand banquet had already filled with guests, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the two carriages. As the newlyweds stepped off of their carriages, glasses of wine were raised to the couple, toasting their relationship.

The tedious etiquettes and customs continued for a whole day, and it was not until the bright moon hung in the sky that Ji Ning and Ying Qianqiu were sent to the bridal chamber.

Despite the wine being very weak, after toasting so many guests, Ji Ning felt dizzy, and Ying Qianqiu’s normally jade white face was slightly pinkened, indicating that this was one of the rare occasions where he was drunk.

“Xiaoxiao…” 

His voice was low and husky as he helped Ji Ning sit down on the bed. Ji Ning felt warmed by the alcohol, his whole body hot and trembling. Sweat dripped down his flushed cheeks as he tried to blink the moisture away from his eyes. He buried his head into Ying Qianqiu’s shoulder, his breathing a little ragged.

In his drunken state, he appeared extremely docile. The neckline of his clothes hung open, revealing his creamy neck. Ying Qianqiu wrapped an arm around Ji Ning’s waist and carefully pulled out his red jade hairpin, allowing his soft hair to cascade down his back. His long, black hair contrasted with his pale skin and deep red clothing, making his appearance even more breathtaking.

Ying Qianqiu’s eyes darkened, as he pulled Ji Ning closer, kissing his delicate lips as he carefully removed his clothes.

The candlelight flickered in the night, as the flame slowly burned into the heart of the candle. Melted tears of wax dripped down the candle stem as the light became weaker, until the room finally fell into darkness. Although it was no longer illuminated, lingering sounds of pleasure continued to echo within the bridal chamber. 

However, Ji Ning had long disappeared from the fantasy scene. As soon as he’d kissed Ying Qianqiu, he was pulled out of the illusion by Fu Qinghan. It was Ying Qianqiu’s inner desires that dictated the direction the fantasy continued in.

The illusion felt so realistic that even after he’d left, he still felt slightly intoxicated. Fu Qinghan supported him until he’d completely shaken off the influence of the phantom array.

The pale red thread of fate slowly appeared in the air. One end connected to Ji Ning’s wrist, whilst the other end disappeared into the illusory mirage, fading into invisibility.

There was a slight chill in Fu Qinghan’s eyes as he watched the red string slowly become thinner, disappearing little by little, until only a thin thread remained. 

“His deeply cherished wish has finally come true and the fate connecting the two of you can be broken.”

He lowered his head to look at Ji Ning, who was still a little stunned, and raised his hand to stroke his hair. He casually blocked Ji Ning’s line of sight to the phantom array and said.

“When you say goodbye to him in the future, the connection between you two will completely break.”

“It’s not too late. Let’s return to the Boundless Sea and find someone else.” 

Fu Qinghan took Ji Ning out of the palace. Not long after, the phantom array dissipated and the silver haired demon opened his dark eyes. Still sitting at his desk, with a book in his hand, he maintained his previous posture.

The candlelight inside the room had dimmed and only a thin strip of the red candle remained, as if a long time had passed since the moment he closed his eyes.

Just now, he’d…

Ying Qianqiu touched his forehead, frowning slightly. There seemed to be an unexplainable feeling of happiness in his heart but when he thought about it carefully, there was no reason for it. All that remained was a faint trace of joy and confusion. 

After a moment of consideration, he took out a jade slip from his sleeve, listening over and over again to the sweet sound of the child’s voice. With a vague longing in his eyes, he whispered.

“Xiaoxiao…”

It turned out it was just a dream.

The author has something to say: Don’t worry, there won’t be any cruel plot…! I promise!! 

*sob* you liar

At least my baby is next up…