Wedding Banquet

In The Flatland, at Nan Zhe's residence,

"Pure as snow on the mountain, bright as the moon among clouds. If you know I have feelings, marry without delay."

O Shinan gazed into the bronze mirror at Hua Ruoying lying on the bed behind him, his fingers gently tracing her reflection in the mirror. His voice was cold yet tender, with a hint of sadness, which soon turned into a self-satisfied smirk.

"Master, the floral silk you ordered has arrived. Would you like to inspect it personally?" a ghost servant asked from outside the door.

"Send it to the study," O Shinan replied, donning his mask and reverting to his identity as Nan Zhe. He walked to the door, pausing slightly to look at Hua Ruoying on the bed before ordering,

"In three days, I will marry Miss Ruoying. The entire Flatland shall celebrate, with everyone dressed in red and green. Those who come to congratulate will be rewarded with fifty taels of silver, and there will be an endless supply of fine wine throughout the night."

Mi Xingzhe, returning from fetching water in the early morning, saw the door open and quickly set down the water bucket, rushing inside.

"Master, you're awake!" 

Thinking his master had woken up, Mi Xingzhe ran and called out.

Upon entering, he only saw a middle-aged man in plain clothes, sitting by the bed with his hand on Li Luoning's pulse, eyes closed.

"Who are you?" 

Mi Xingzhe asked nervously. Seeing the man remain silent, he grabbed a broom by the door and stepped forward, asking again, "Who are you? If you don't speak, I'll attack!" He waved the broom, inching closer.

"Shh." 

Jiagu Qing, still with eyes closed, placed a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.

"Let go of my master, or I'll really be rude to you!" Mi Xingzhe said, stepping even closer.

"So noisy!" Jiagu Qing said without opening his eyes, waving his hand. A gust of wind sent Mi Xingzhe's broom flying out the door.

Seeing the broom fly away, Mi Xingzhe was momentarily at a loss. Just then, Jiagu Qing finally spoke,

"Get some water." Jiagu Qing retracted his hand from Li Luoning's pulse and took out a medicine bottle from his sleeve.

"Huh?" 

"What 'huh'? Don't you want to save him?" Jiagu Qing asked impatiently.

"Oh!" Realizing the stranger intended to help his master, Mi Xingzhe quickly fetched a ladle of water and poured it into a bowl, bringing it over hastily.

Jiagu Qing fed the pill to Li Luoning and helped him drink some water before gently laying him back on the bed.

"Senior, what did you give my master?" 

"What else? Life-saving medicine. Do you think I'd harm him?" Jiagu Qing replied rhetorically, casting a glance at Mi Xingzhe. After a closer look, his eyes lit up with recognition.

Mi Xingzhe felt uneasy under the intense scrutiny, unsure what to do with his hands,

"Senior..."

"You're that celestial herb?" 

"Huh?" Mi Xingzhe was puzzled, not understanding Jiagu Qing's question.

"Amazing, a little celestial herb has produced such a treasure within you," Jiagu Qing said, circling Mi Xingzhe as if he had found a rare gem.

"Senior..." 

Mi Xingzhe was startled, shielding his chest, thinking the man intended to take his inner core.

"Relax, relax. I'm just looking. I'm not going to hurt you. Look how scared you are," 

Jiagu Qing said with a lighthearted laugh.

"May I know your name, Senior?" 

"Jiagu Qing. That celestial herb within you was a gift from me to that little herb addict."

"Thank you for your generous gift, Senior Jiagu. But how did you find this place?" 

"Jade pendant."

Jiagu Qing pointed to the pendant on Li Luoning and then to the one in his own hand. Bringing the two pendants close, a beam of light linked them together.

"Earlier, I saw you diagnosing my master. Do you have a way to treat him?"

Jiagu Qing, uninterested in answering, was about to drink his tea when he noticed the Purifying Jade Cauldron. His eyes lit up as he approached it excitedly.

"Oh my, this is a treasure! Where did you get it?" 

Jiagu Qing exclaimed, picking up the cauldron and examining it closely.

"Senior..."

Mi Xingzhe hurriedly took the cauldron from Jiagu Qing's hands and placed it back, saying, "This is a life-saving artifact from my master's master. But I haven't found a way to use it yet."

"From Liao Yin?" Jiagu Qing asked with wide eyes.

Mi Xingzhe nodded. "A few days ago, my master's master gave it to me, saying it could cleanse and protect my master's heart meridian. But I don't know how to use it. I've tried several times with no success." Mi Xingzhe said with a tone of regret.

"You don't know how to use it? But I do!" Jiagu Qing said excitedly.

"You know how, Senior? Could you teach me? Then I can save my master!" Mi Xingzhe eagerly grasped Jiagu Qing's hand.

"Hey, don't pull and tug like that. It's not proper."

Jiagu Qing shook off Mi Xingzhe's hand, saying, "To use the Purifying Jade Cauldron, you need several rare medicinal guides. It's natural you don't have them." He wrote down the required ingredients and handed the list to Mi Xingzhe.

"I've never heard of these herbs. Where can I find them?" Mi Xingzhe asked, looking at the list with concern.

"Have you been to the Flatland market?" Jiagu Qing asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The Flatland market! Yes, it has everything. I'll go right away!" Mi Xingzhe said excitedly, about to rush out.

"Hey, come back. I'm not finished." Jiagu Qing grabbed Mi Xingzhe by the collar and pulled him back.

"Is there anything else, Senior?" Mi Xingzhe asked.

"You're now a wanted criminal throughout the Liao Yin Immortal Realm. Do you plan to go out looking like that?" Jiagu Qing asked, giving him a once-over.

"Huh? But I only have these clothes. What should I do?" Mi Xingzhe asked, looking down at himself in dismay.

"Oh, really... That little herb addict was so clever, how did he take on such a foolish disciple?" Jiagu Qing shook his head in exasperation, tapping Mi Xingzhe's brow. In an instant, Mi Xingzhe's appearance transformed, making him unrecognizable.

"Wow, Senior, that's amazing!" Mi Xingzhe exclaimed, admiring his new look.

"Remember, this disguise will only last for twelve hours. Also, don't use any magic in the Flatland to avoid exposure. Quick in, quick out. Got it?" Jiagu Qing instructed.

"Yes, thank you, Senior. I'm off now."

Mi Xingzhe nodded vigorously, about to leave but then turned back. "Senior, I don't have any money..."

"Oh, you... Here, take this. Hurry up and go. Don't spend it all at once!" Jiagu Qing grumbled, tossing a pouch of silver coins to Mi Xingzhe.

As Mi Xingzhe stepped out, Li Luoning's fingers barely twitched beside him.

In The Flatland, the streets were adorned with decorations, with everyone wearing festive red and green attire.

"Why does The Flatland look different than usual?" 

Mi Xingzhe wondered, observing the people around him.

Dressed in simple dark blue, Mi Xingzhe stood out among the crowd. He was curious about the festivities when a fabric shop owner called out to him,

"Hey there, sir! Come in, come in," the owner gestured for Mi Xingzhe to enter.

"Me?" Mi Xingzhe pointed at himself, and seeing the owner's nod, he walked into the shop.

"Sir, you must be new to The Flatland, right?" 

"New? Me?" Mi Xingzhe looked at his clothes, which didn't seem like those of a transient.

"Today is the grand wedding day of Lord Nan Zhe. Everyone in The Flatland is dressed in red and green to celebrate. I noticed your outfit and figured you must be new here. Why not buy some festive clothes and join the celebration? Lord Nan Zhe is giving fifty taels of silver and fine wine to all guests who attend the wedding feast," the owner explained with a wide grin, holding up a bright red outfit.

"I don't want it. I don't even know him," Mi Xingzhe declined and turned to leave but was stopped by the owner.

"Wait, sir, wait! You don't understand. This outfit costs just a few taels, but Lord Nan Zhe is giving fifty taels to each guest. I can tell you're distinguished, so you will surely be welcomed at the feast. This is a sure profit," the owner said, smiling.

[Fifty taels and wine... Nan Zhe is indeed generous. Since I'm already here, why not check it out? If it's true, I can use the money to help Master.]

Mi Xingzhe thought it over and found the owner's words convincing.

"Alright, give me that one."

At Nan Zhe's mansion, the entrance was flanked by statues topped with sparkling red gems. The steps were paved with powdered ice jade, leading up to the grand hall. Inside, dozens of bone-carved tables were covered in red silk, and even the dishes and utensils were gleaming gold.

"Wow, Nan Zhe is really extravagant. No wonder fifty taels per guest is nothing to him," Mi Xingzhe marveled at the opulence, the likes of which he had never seen.

Curious, Mi Xingzhe wandered around Nan Zhe's courtyard.

"Greetings, Lord Nan Zhe," he heard ghost servants say.

Following the sound, Mi Xingzhe saw a figure enter a room. Just as the door was about to close, a gust of wind blew Hua Ruoying's veil off. Mi Xingzhe's pupils contracted in shock. Before he could react, the door closed.

"That was! Miss Ruoying? What's she doing here? And wearing...?" Mi Xingzhe asked himself in disbelief.

Mi Xingzhe couldn't believe his eyes. Why was Miss Ruoying here and wearing a wedding dress? As he stood there, lost in thought, he heard the sound of drums and gongs from within Nan Zhe's mansion.

"The auspicious hour has arrived!"

With a loud announcement, Nan Zhe emerged, leading the bride by the hand.

To confirm what he saw, Mi Xingzhe followed them to the hall where the ceremony was being held.

"One life, one love, one couple. First bow to heaven and earth.

Two hearts become one, second bow to the gods.

May you share dreams and joy, third bow to each other."

Amidst the crowd, Mi Xingzhe scrutinized the bride, hoping to find a flaw.

"Hey, did you hear? Nan Zhe's wife is from Wuming Demon Mountain," someone in the crowd whispered.

"Yes, I heard the demon lord gave her to him. She's a woman who likes to make poisons. She even bought a lot of stuff from my shop, very generous. Nan Zhe must really love her," another person chimed in.

"What kind of beauty must she be to catch Nan Zhe's eye? Marrying him is the blessing of a lifetime."

As the couple raised their cups to drink, Mi Xingzhe heard a familiar sound: the faint ringing of a bell. He recognized it immediately.

Seeing the figure beneath the veil, Mi Xingzhe couldn't suppress his unease. With a wave of his hand, a breeze blew the veil off Hua Ruoying's head.

"Why does the bride look so unhappy?" a young demon child asked, seeing Hua Ruoying's face.

Mi Xingzhe was stunned to see Hua Ruoying in the wedding attire, unable to speak. His mind went blank.

Hua Ruoying, in a daze, stood motionless, her eyes vacant and unresponsive to the murmurs around her.

"How dare you act out at my wedding feast?" Nan Zhe noticed the strange breeze and traced its source.

Seeing Hua Ruoying's face, Mi Xingzhe lost his composure and rushed forward to ask for an explanation.

As he reached out, Nan Zhe struck his hand away, and they began to fight.

"Daring to cause trouble in my mansion? You must have a death wish," Nan Zhe said, attacking Mi Xingzhe.

Mi Xingzhe dodged and tried to reach Hua Ruoying, who remained in a daze.

"Miss Ruoying, why are you here?" 

Mi Xingzhe grabbed her hand, his eyes filled with concern and confusion.

Nan Zhe, seeing Mi Xingzhe holding Hua Ruoying, was furious.

"Let go of her!" 

Sensing Nan Zhe's power, Mi Xingzhe held Hua Ruoying tightly and dodged the attack. He kept calling out to her, "Miss Ruoying, it's me. What's wrong? Answer me!"

Nan Zhe's eyes darkened with rage as he summoned a more powerful attack.

Mi Xingzhe shielded Hua Ruoying, taking the full force of the blow. He felt a sharp, cold pain in his back as his internal power clashed with the Floating Light Seal. Blood spurted from his mouth, breaking the illusion spell Jiagu Qing had placed on him.

Despite turning his head, warm blood splattered onto Hua Ruoying's face. The sudden sensation brought a flicker of consciousness to her vacant eyes. Her delicate eyelashes fluttered, and her dry lips parted as she weakly murmured,

"Yun ?"