CH 17

Seeing these thirteen words, Xiao Yuan suddenly realized the significance of ‘getting married’ to ordinary people.

Married as husband and wife, there is no doubt about their love. Marriage tied together two people who were not related by blood so that they spent the rest of their lives together; for wealth and glory, in old age, sickness and death; they would never part until they died.

Such an awesome thing was a condition for him to be free; and for Gu Louyin, it was a condition for the salvation of his Shixiong. It was ironic to think about it.

Gu Louyin’s demeanor was the same as usual, only a trace of tension and expectation was hidden in his eyes blocked by the long eyelashes.

Xiao Yuan returned the purse to Gu Louyin and said, “Between you and me, there seems to be no need for this.”

Gu Louyin took the purse, slowly closed his palm and did not force it, “En.”

Luo Lan began to decorate the farmhouse. The doors and windows were plastered with the word ‘happiness’ and big red lanterns were hung under the eaves. He used an empty room as a bridal chamber, hung red silk, placed red candles and replaced the bedding with brand new wedding quilts.

It looked novel to Xiao Yuan so he asked, “Where did these things come from?”

“They were all personally selected by the young master in Huaizhou.”

Xiao Yuan coughed lightly and said, “He had quite a lot of free time.”

After Luo Lan posted the last ‘happiness’ word, he leaned over to Xiao Yuan and said, “Master Xiao, do you like our young master?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because you are clearly looking forward to getting married.” Luo Lan said with a smile, “I can tell.”

Xiao Yuan’s eyes lit up again, bright and beautiful, as if full of autumn water. Now he has restored a bit of his original beauty and brilliance. He propped his chin and said with a little smile: “Yes, I am looking forward to it.”

On the 19th of the third month, Xiao Yuan was awakened by Luo Lan before he had slept enough. Luo Lan, a teenage boy, was more nagging than a city matron and kept mumbling something about the auspicious time. Xiao Yuan was too sleepy and didn’t bother to move, so he let him toss around.

Dressing him in wedding clothes and combing his hair, Luo Lan took out a box of rouge and asked, “Would Master Xiao like to apply this?”

“…no need.”

“But your face doesn’t look very good and there is no blood in your lips. You still look sick.”

“That’s what I am, Gu Louyin can marry or not marry.”

Luo Lan said helplessly: “Then this crown and red veil…”

“It’s all right,” Xiao Yuan said absentmindedly, “why would two men get so fancy?”

Luo Lan looked at Xiao Yuan in the mirror. Even if he refused to wear the red crown, even though his face was diminished, he was still hauntingly beautiful, so beautiful that one’s breath became short and hot when looking at him.

Luo Lan compromised: “Okay, don’t wear it if you don’t want to. You look good anyway.”

After dressing, Xiao Yuan walked out of the house with Luo Lan’s help. Gu Louyin had been waiting in the courtyard for a long time.

The two of them looked at each other, both stunned.

This was the first time Xiao Yuan had seen Gu Louyin wearing clothes other than plain white. He was dressed in a scarlet wedding dress, tall and jade-like, still clean and refined, like an exiled immortal who had fallen into the mortal world and had been seduced by some demon spirit.

The two looked at each other for a long time, and it was Gu Louyin who looked away first. Perhaps because of the light, his jade-white face seemed to be tinged with a touch of red glow.

Gu Louyin turned to Luo Lan, “What should I do now?”

Luo Lan scratched his head and said, “I don’t know, I have never been married… maybe do the ceremony?”

“Then let’s do the ceremony.” Xiao Yuan said, “No need to delay time.”

“Ah, wait!“ Luo Lan found a piece of red silk and handed the two ends of it to Gu Louyin and Xiao Yuan, “You hold this for the ceremony.”

Gu Louyin: “…”

Xiao Yuan: “…Bells and whistles.”

Luo Lan, pretending to be a ceremonial official, said in a loud voice, “One worship to heaven and earth -“

Gu Louyin was about to bow, when suddenly his expression changed. In the next moment, the red silk in their hands was cut into two parts, and before the cut ends fell to the ground, it was blown away by the spring breeze and fluttered in the wind.

Xiao Yuan’s first reaction was that Li Xianting was here again. When he saw the visitor clearly, he couldn’t help being slightly startled.

Luo Lan said in surprise: “Lin Shixiong, why is he here?!”

Although Lin Wulian had just recovered from a serious illness and had lost a lot of weight, his complexion was still ruddy. He looked at the two people in wedding clothes with an extremely complicated expression: “Shidi, do you know what you are doing!”

Gu Louyin shielded Xiao Yuan behind him and said solemnly: “How did you find this place?”

“Little Shimei said that she had seen you in Huaizhou, so I went to Huaizhou to investigate and learned that you had gone to a tailor’s shop…”

Gu Louyin nodded lightly, “I see.”

Lin Wuyi took a deep breath and said, “Is this… are you doing it for me?”

Gu Louyin said, “Shixiong, you go back first.”

Xiao Yuan walked out from behind Gu Louyin and said with a smile, “That’s correct Lin-xiong. In order to save you, your Shidi almost lost his life last time, and this time he gave up his marriage. Are you surprised or moved?”

Gu Louyin frowned and called him: “Xiao Yuan.”

Xiao Yuan pretended not to hear, covered his lips and coughed twice, and said, “Since Lin-xiong is here, let him stay for a glass of wedding wine.”

Even now, Lin Wulian was not rude. He walked up to Xiao Yuan and bowed in a big salute. “Xiao-xiong risked his life to save me, Han Shishu has already told me. Whether Xiao-xiong was the one who hurt me that night or not, I owe Xiao-xiong a great debt of gratitude.”

Xiao Yuan savored Lin Wulian’s words: “Whether I am the one who hurt you or not? This is very interesting.”

Lin Wulian continued: “After all, this is a matter between you and me. I hope Xiao-xiong won’t involve my Shidi.”

Gu Louyin said, “This matter has nothing to do with Shixiong. Even if my Shixiong was not injured, I am willing…”

“Shidi,” Lin Wulian was quite touched, “you don’t need to do this for me. I will repay my debt to Xiao-xiong.”

“Repay?” Xiao Yuan said lightly, “How will you repay it?”

Lin Wulian asked rhetorically: “Xiao-xiong, how do you want me to repay it?”

Xiao Yuan pretended to think and then said, “You can repay with what you took. If you took thirty cups of my blood, you will pay me back thirty cups, how about that?”

Lin Wulian’s face stiffened and he said with a serious expression: “If Xiao-xiong needs to do this to let go of my Shidi…” Lin Wulian drew out his sword, “I will return it.”

“Enough.” Gu Louyin blocked the two of them and said coldly, “Lin Shixiong, I will say it again. This matter has nothing to do with you.”

“It has nothing to do with me? As the young master of Yunjian Pavilion, you should decide on marriage matters with the master of the Pavilion. How can you privately become a Dao companion of a person of unknown origin who hardly distinguishes between good and evil?” Every word of Lin Wulian was sincere and wept blood, “Don’t you know, Shidi, what the words ‘Dao companions’ mean to those of us who cultivate immortality!”

Gu Louyin glanced at Xiao Yuan, and the chill all over his body dissipated a little, “I know.”

“Then you still…! Shidi, Pavilion Master has already left the retreat. If he knows about this, he will definitely sacrifice Xiao-xiong to protect you. Xiao-xiong, if something happens to you, what’s the point of what you did that day!”

Gu Louyin closed his eyes and said, “You can go back. As for my father, I will explain it myself.”

Lin Wulian said firmly: “I won’t go unless you go back with me.”

Gu Louyin said calmly: “You are not my opponent.”

“So, Shidi, are you going to fight with me because of him?” Lin Wulian smiled miserably, “I also know that I am not your opponent, so… Shidi, I just want to do it for your own good, don’t blame me.”

Gu Louyin looked horrified, “You…”

Xiao Yuan watched the two of them coldly, and asked [All Have]: “Can the task proceed?”

[All Have]: “Yes.”

The wind blew suddenly, and dozens of swords appeared on the horizon, swordsmen in the attire of Yunjian Pavilion standing on each of them. The leader of the group was a noble figure with an appearance of an immortal and a dignified posture, and his brows and eyes were somewhat similar to Gu Louyin. This person was Gu Hang, the master of Yunjian Pavilion.

Gu Louyin’s heart sank, “Father.”

Gu Hang looked at them condescendingly, “You’ve disgraced your Shimen and your family and offended public morals. Louyin, you let me down.”

Gu Louyin said, “Father, I personally promised to become Dao companions. A gentleman’s words cannot be ruined.”

Gu Hang’s gaze turned to Xiao Yuan’s and he asked, “Is this person the one who poisoned Wulian?”

Lu Yueyao, who was standing behind him, couldn’t wait to respond, “Answering Pavilion Master, it’s him!”

Gu Louyin said, “This matter has not been resolved yet, father –”

Gu Hang narrowed his eyes and said indifferently: “Take him down.”

“Yes! ”

Two young disciples from Yunjian Pavilion swooped towards Xiao Yuan. Gu Louyin summoned Shuang Leng and stood in front of Xiao Yuan. With only two sword strokes, he knocked the two of them back a few steps.

Gu Hang cursed in a cold voice: “You went against your father’s will and injured your fellow disciples. Gu Louyin, are you going to defect from your sect?”

Gu Louyin’s jade face was calm as he faced a group of Yunjian Pavilion people slowly raising their swords.

Lin Wulian said anxiously: “Master, Shidi, he is just a little confused. If you give me some more time, I will definitely be able to persuade him to come back!”

“No need.” Gu Louyin said calmly, “I have no way back.”

Xiao Yuan said calmly: “You have it, just hand me over.”

Gu Louyin smiled very indifferently, “Xiao Yuan, you are really… a genius  at hurting me.”

Xiao Yuan wanted to say something more, but when he looked at Gu Louyin’s eyes, he changed his mind.

With Gu Hang’s order, an elderly master shouted to Gu Louyin: “Young Pavilion Master, I am attacking!”

Although Gu Louyin was a leader among his peers, after all, he had practiced for decades less than the elder. He was already struggling to cope, let alone having to also protect Xiao Yuan. The two young disciples saw that he couldn’t get away and attacked Xiao Yuan again.

There was not much left from Xiao Yuan’s cultivation base, so he could only wait to be captured. Unexpectedly, as soon as the two of them attacked Xiao Yuan, they suddenly screamed. Several blood stains appeared on the backs of their hands, as if they were injured by sharp claws. There was black smoke faintly emitting from the wounds, which obviously meant there was poison.

At this moment, a loud and contemptuous voice sounded: “Who are you to dare touch my Shixiong?!”

Xiao Yuan’s heart moved, “Shidi?!”

Mu Yingyang was dressed in black, holding Duya in his hand, and his childishly handsome face was full of murderous intent. He didn’t come alone. He was accompanied by Li Xianting, whom Xiao Yuan had met just a few days ago.

Li Xianting seemed to be injured, his face a little pale, and he smiled slightly at Xiao Yuan: “Ah Yu, we are here to take you home.”

The master of Yunjian Pavilion said, “With so few people, they still want to save someone from us. Overestimating their capabilities.”

Gu Hang looked at Li Xianting and said, “This one should not be underestimated. Don’t take him lightly.”

“Don’t worry, Master, and let me go!” When these words were said, a sword like a flying wind struck straight at Li Xianting.

Li Xianting calmly coped with it and didn’t forget to tell Mu Yingyang: “Take your Shixiong first.”

“Yes, Shizun! ”

Before Xiao Yuan could react, he was carried on Mu Yingyang’s shoulders, feeling an instant tightness in his chest and congestion in his brain. “Ahem, Shidi…”

Mu Yingyang raised his sword-like eyebrows and frowned, saying while he carried Xiao Yuan out of the encirclement: “Why are you so much lighter?”

“You put me down first.”

“Put you down to wait for death?”

“…” Xiao Yuan stopped struggling and accepted his fate, lying on Mu Yingyang’s shoulder.

With Li Xianting and Gu Louyin guarding the rear, the two escaped fairly quickly. Xiao Yuan was so uncomfortable that he wanted to vomit. In his dizziness, he could always see two figures, one in red and the other in blue, protecting them from behind.

After a long run, Mu Yingyang stopped abruptly and said, “Oh no, there is a cliff ahead, we have nowhere to go.”

Xiao Yuan reluctantly said, “If you don’t put me down, I’ll vomit on you.”

Mu Yingyang finally put him down. Xiao Yuan’s head was dizzy and he fell into Mu Yingyang’s arms.

Seeing him so weak, Mu Yingyang asked, “How did you make yourself like this? Did you feed more than ten years of cultivation to those dogs?!”

Xiao Yuan said calmly: “Gu Louyin wanted my blood, so I gave it to him.”

Mu Yingyang stared at him, “What did you say?!”

“Only in this way will he marry me.”

Mu Yingyang’s jealousy was so intense that he could not choose his words: “Xiao Yuan, are you really so cheap? Do you want to marry him this much?!”

Xiao Yuan stood up straight, raised his hand and swung it at Mu Yingyang with all his strength – slap.

Mu Ying, whose face was slapped, tilted his head and looked completely stunned.

Xiao Yuan glanced at his palm and murmured, “I wanted to do this for a long time.”

But how could he do this at all? [All Have] didn’t stop him?

Could it be……

Xiao Yuan said in a trembling voice, “Is it what I think it is? Is it so?”

[All Have]’s indifferent voice sounded in Xiao Yuan’s mind: “All beings under heaven are born with a destiny, and you are no exception. However, your reincarnation was slightly off, causing you to behave as you wish, and your temperament deviating greatly. If left unchecked, you would certainly tamper with your destiny. Thus, my only purpose was to help you complete your destiny and pass through your tribulations.”

Mu Yingyang had already calmed down and was saying something angrily, but Xiao Yuan couldn’t hear anything except for [All Have]’s voice.

“Now that the first half of your life is over and your destiny is fulfilled, I have succeeded and can retire. You will go by yourself for the rest of your life.”

Xiao Yuan’s eyes suddenly turned red. He didn’t cry when he was bullied by his Shidi, he didn’t cry when he was abandoned by his master, he didn’t cry when he was used by Xiao Du and he still didn’t cry when Gu Louyin took his blood.

He was crying now.

There were sounds of fighting from a distance, and the people of Yunjian Pavilion seemed to have caught up. The noise became louder, and in a blurry stream of light, he saw two more figures, one red and one blue, coming to him.

“Ah Yu, don’t be afraid. Shizun is here, it will be okay.”

“Xiao Yuan, I didn’t let you die in the first place, and I won’t let you die today.”

Xiao Yuan said softly: “You have controlled me for so long, won’t you give me some compensation?”

Mu Yingyang asked, “Who are you talking to?!”

[All Have] said: “Is life alone not enough?”

“Enough.” Xiao Yuan said quietly, “Tell me, what would happen if I jumped off this cliff.”

[All Have]: “You’ll be safe and sound.”

Xiao Yuan slowly raised his head, and the moisture in his eyes condensed into drops of crystal clear tears that slipped from the corners of his eyes.

He didn’t look at any of the three people guarding him. He turned around and ran without hesitation, ran to the cliff, ran to——

Freedom.

The crimson wedding dress was like a bright fire, burning and blooming, extremely gorgeous and dazzling.

He finally fell.

He finally was free.