Translator: She.Wee

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Chapter 95: The Grand Wedding

Chi Muyao and Xi Huai’s Daoist couple ceremony was almost fully prepared, and Chi Muyao finally let out a sigh of relief.

Over the past few days, he had been tirelessly working on all the preparations, taking care of every detail himself. Given his naturally worrisome personality, this was the only way he could feel at ease.

Seeing all the custom-made items securely delivered to the sect, with everything ready for the grand ceremony, the heavy burden on Chi Muyao’s shoulders seemed to finally lift.

He felt a fleeting moment of disbelief.

He was really going to have a Daoist couple ceremony. He was getting married.

Someone who had never even thought about finding a partner was now getting married, and to the very person he had feared for decades.

He was destined to be with Xi Huai for the rest of his life.

Looking at the celebratory flying artifacts, Chi Muyao couldn’t help but smile slightly, feeling an overwhelming surge of happiness.

To be with someone you love, witnessed by friends and family—what a fortunate thing this was.

There were only two days left until the Daoist couple ceremony.

That night, Si Ruoyu brought out some fine wine, saying it was brewed by her master years ago, and she had never been willing to drink it until now. Since everyone was together, she suggested they enjoy it and drink the night away.

The female disciples from the Hehuan Sect who had “married off” earlier also returned, teasing, “Shishu, you’re playing favorites!”

“How am I playing favorites? When you got married, I made a special trip back from Nuan Yan Pavilion. Even though I was in a rush, I still brought you your favorite embroidered silk. Isn’t that good enough for you?”

“Hmph, then today I’m going to take advantage of A-Jiu and make you give up more of your precious stuff.”

“A disciple married off is like water thrown out the door, and you still want to come back to the sect to mooch off us? Didn’t your Daoist partner feed you well enough?”

“If you throw water against the wind, doesn’t it blow back?”

Everyone burst into laughter. A group of people gathered together, regardless of status or cultivation level, drinking recklessly under the beautiful night sky.

The Hehuan Sect, with its red walls and golden roofs, pearls and jade palaces, had a courtyard where, thanks to a unique formation, peach blossoms bloomed year-round.

The architecture was flamboyant, the peach garden fragrant with flowers. The beauty of the scene was hard to tell—whether it came from the people or the scenery.

After a few rounds of drinking, everyone tacitly looked at Chi Muyao, waiting for his performance.

Chi Muyao’s face was flushed, his body slightly swaying, and when he made eye contact with others, he wore a silly smile.

Xu Ranzhu sighed, “Here it comes.”

Lou Qiongzhi instinctively shrank back in fear, “I don’t want to leave the strict Nuan Yan Pavilion and come back just to be dragged into math lessons by my little senior brother.”

Si Ruoyu cleared her throat, reminding everyone, “Put on your masks.”

Although some of the disciples were already drunk, they quickly donned their peach blossom masks, even Chi Muyao clumsily followed suit, not understanding why they suddenly needed to cover their faces.

Chi Muyao suddenly stood up, holding his wine cup as if about to recite poetry, but what came out were incomprehensible words: “Master science and math, and the elements won’t be scary!”

He took another sip, then declared, “In magical duels, it’s quantum mechanics!”

Lou Qiongzhi was so frightened by the word “study” that she started crying, “Wah, little senior brother, I don’t want to study anymore!”

“You must study!” Chi Muyao was enraged by her attitude and immediately scolded, “Learning is endless, the sea of knowledge is boundless. If we don’t study, how can we defend our home and country?”

“A-Zhu!” Lou Qiongzhi threw herself into Xu Ranzhu’s arms, sobbing, “Stop him!”

“You two really drink and play off each other well…” Xu Ranzhu said with a laugh, holding the tearful Lou Qiongzhi.

When Xi Huai entered the Hehuan Sect, this was the scene he saw.

Si Ruoyu had sensed his arrival and made everyone cover their faces accordingly.

He looked at the drunken Chi Muyao, his expression frozen for a moment before he broke into a half-smile.

Si Ruoyu had invited Xi Huai today because, after all, he was the “son-in-law” who had yet to officially join the family.

Given the Hehuan Sect’s special rules, disciples had to wear their peach blossom masks and could not reveal their identities to outsiders, which made it inconvenient for them to interact with Xi Huai. However, it wouldn’t make sense to keep Xi Huai out of the sect forever, so Si Ruoyu decided to invite him over today.

Xi Huai walked over and sat next to Chi Muyao, hearing Si Ruoyu ask him, “Isn’t he amusing when he’s drunk?”

“Hmm. How much does it take to get him drunk?” Xi Huai asked, supporting Chi Muyao.

Si Ruoyu lifted the wine jar with a pained expression, saying, “Two full jars of aged strong liquor!”

“Oh…” Xi Huai, who was knocked out by just one cup, fell silent. His Daoist partner indeed outdrank him.

Chi Muyao leaned into Xi Huai’s arms, looking up at him. Xi Huai noticed his eyes were smiling, shining brightly with the joy of seeing the one he loved. But the words that came out of Chi Muyao’s mouth were baffling: “My good grandson, you’re here?”

“…” Xi Huai stared at him, his gentle expression crumbling visibly.

“My dear grandson… my big grandson…” Chi Muyao began to pinch Xi Huai’s face.

Xi Huai pushed his hand away and furiously demanded, “Are you asking for death?!”

“You’ve already called me Ninth Grandpa!”

Xi Huai frowned, unable to react before Chi Muyao pulled him to his feet. “Would you like to drink wine with me under the peach blossoms, admire the spring colors, and savor the deep emotions of this night? With silk curtains and pearls swaying, wouldn’t that be delightful?”

Xi Huai: “…”

Si Ruoyu couldn’t help but laugh, “He’s inviting you for some moonlit dual cultivation. Go on, but keep it down.”

The other senior and junior sisters began to tease, “I won’t be peeking! If you’re worried, just set up a barrier.”

“I bet little senior brother cries when he cultivates.”

“He definitely does. He’s always been a crybaby.”

“I’m surprised he even knows how to cultivate. He probably taught himself, right? Our Senior Sister didn’t teach him.”

Xi Huai, overwhelmed by the girls’ teasing, wished he could chant Buddhist scriptures to calm himself.

His conviction grew stronger: the Hehuan Sect was a place of trouble, not to be frequented.

After regaining his composure, Xi Huai supported Chi Muyao and asked Si Ruoyu, “He often experiences chaotic spiritual energy and shows signs of going berserk. How can this be resolved?”

Si Ruoyu stared at him for a long time without speaking, leaving him puzzled. Was this a difficult question?

Xu Ranzhu rested her chin on her hand, raising her eyebrows as she asked, “Are you showing off?”

Xi Huai was confused, “Why would I be showing off?”

Lou Qiongzhi, who had been crying out of fear of studying, began wailing even louder, “Because when we cultivate, it’s hardly ever enjoyable! We just pretend! You’re amazing! Wah… I want a big one too…”

Xu Ranzhu hugged Lou Qiongzhi, comforting her, “You’ll have one, you’ll have one.”

Si Ruoyu sighed as well, “Having a big one is useless if there’s no skill…”

Xi Huai winced, unable to believe that a simple question had led to this.

He could only press on, asking, “Is there a solution?”

Si Ruoyu nodded, “Yes, you could try the Hehuan Sect’s methods.”

“Blossom on your back? No way. I have too many enemies. If something happens to me, how will he survive alone?”

“Or you could make him not like you anymore.”

“Still not acceptable.”

“Or you could stop trying new tricks that make him uncomfortable.”

“…”

“Or just reduce the frequency. Let him calm down before cultivating again.”

This suggestion seemed more reasonable, so Xi Huai asked, “What’s the ideal interval?”

“Once every seven days.”

“That’s impossible!”

As soon as he asked, Lou Qiongzhi began wailing again, “Ahhh, he’s showing off again! Why can’t I find someone like that? I’d gladly take on this trouble! Wooo… I don’t need Nascent Soul stage, even Golden Core stage would be fine!”

Xi Huai stiffened at her cries, feeling extremely awkward.

This was his first experience chatting with a group of girls, and the conversation was so raunchy that even he, a grown man, didn’t know how to handle it.

Si Ruoyu could only tell Xu Ranzhu, “Alright, take her back. She’s too drunk and getting noisy.”

“Okay, I’ll take her to her cave.”

Many of the other disciples were also slightly tipsy, but since they rarely gathered like this, they continued drinking and chatting. However, they no longer teased Xi Huai.

Hehuan Sect had a rule that one should not approach or seize the target that a fellow disciple had already set their sights on, especially when it involved someone they might marry. They consciously maintained boundaries.

At this moment, Si Ruoyu spoke to Xi Huai alone: “Chi Muyao was picked up by Hua Ling and me from the human realm. He was a beautiful child from the start. We decided to keep him because he not only looked good but had a good temperament as well.

“He’s sentimental. After Hua Ling’s demise, he cried for a long time, blaming it on Hua Ling’s unfortunate encounter with someone unworthy… That incident is my lifelong pain, but at least the revenge has been taken.

“You’ve made a good choice, not spreading your affections everywhere. This way, if anything happens in the future, he can still return to Hehuan Sect.

“Just don’t let him get hurt. If he does, he’ll remember it for a long time. He’s foolish—he’ll only love one person in his entire life.”

Xi Huai listened carefully and nodded earnestly. He replied, “I promise, if he ever returns to Hehuan Sect, it will only be to visit his fellow disciples. I will never let him down in this lifetime.”

“I once talked with him. He said that you’re too young, and there are countless possibilities in your future. The age difference between you two fills him with unease. So, if there’s a way, try to give him more security.”

“Alright.”

After Xi Huai finished talking with Si Ruoyu, Chi Muyao insisted on taking him to see the garden.

Chi Muyao held Xi Huai’s hand as they walked into the peach blossom grove, their fingers interlocked. He pointed to the peach blossoms and introduced them to Xi Huai: “Look at these peach blossoms. Many of them were planted by me. I even set up formations to protect them and come here to water them on dry days.”

Xi Huai looked around and commented, “They’re quite beautiful.”

Chi Muyao led Xi Huai to the largest tree with the thickest trunk and said, “This tree has been here for a long time, even before the Hehuan Sect was established. The first sect master chose this place because of this peach tree. The entire Hehuan Sect was built around it, so it’s considered the tree god of this place. Many senior and junior sisters come here to pray for love. They say it’s very effective.”

“Have you prayed here?”

“No, I haven’t. If I were to pray, I’d ask to pass every exam.”

“Does this tree handle that?”

“No, that’s why I didn’t pray.”

Even though it was a trivial conversation, the two of them chatted with great interest.

Xi Huai looked up at the peach tree. The trunk was enormous and sturdy, its branches and leaves flourishing, and the pink peach blossoms obscured the view, making it seem as though the sky itself was tinted pink.

At this moment, Chi Muyao clasped his hands together and sincerely prayed to the giant tree, “Tree god, I hope you bless me so that Xi Huai will always like me.”

Xi Huai turned to look at him and said, “There’s no need to pray for that.”

Chi Muyao glanced up at Xi Huai, thought for a moment, and then sincerely prayed again: “Tree god, I hope you bless Xi Huai so that he never has any other peach blossoms, and only I like him.”

Xi Huai was amused by this wish.

He wrapped his arm around Chi Muyao, pulling him closer, then kissed him lightly on the lips. “May your wish come true.”

Chi Muyao leaned against his chest, gazing at him with eyes full of love. He stood on tiptoe, leaned closer, and softly asked, “Just one kiss?”

Xi Huai quickly understood, leaned down, and kissed him again.

At the same time, Xi Huai set up a barrier, even using a magical artifact to isolate them from the outside world, leaving only the peach blossoms to accompany them.

He lifted Chi Muyao, letting his back rest against the tree trunk, and deepened the kiss.After a long time, they paused, and Xi Huai asked, “Why aren’t you afraid of gold, wood, water, or earth, but only fire?”

It was clear he had heard what Chi Muyao had said earlier.

Chi Muyao pouted and replied pitifully, “Because fire… still hurts.”

“Why?”

“Because fire… makes it… painful back there.”

Xi Huai burst into laughter, pressing his lips against Chi Muyao’s, and said, his voice muffled, “Isn’t it supposed to feel good?”

“Well… it does, too.”

After that, no more words were exchanged.

The flowers bloomed brightly, filling the peach grove with fragrance that lingered, sometimes faint, sometimes strong, permeating the air.

Their peach-colored robes were in disarray, half-hanging, half-open, mingled with the fallen petals.

In this world, there was a beautiful person, drunkenly resting among the flowers.

This beautiful person was accompanied, their red lips gently parting to speak words of tender affection, their intoxicated eyes reflecting the figure of their beloved.

Suddenly, the sound of crying echoed through the grove, intermittent and heartbreaking.

In between sobs, their name was called, and with tears, they confessed their love—utterly captivating.

The branches of the peach tree trembled slightly, shaking off a shower of petals. Abruptly, the scent of osmanthus filled the peach grove, and the sobbing gradually ceased.

Xi Huai carried Chi Muyao to a pavilion, placing him on his lap and helping him tidy his hair and clothes.

Chi Muyao’s face was buried in Xi Huai’s neck, aware that Xi Huai was looking at his back.

He heard Xi Huai whisper in a low voice, “Among the flowers on your back, there were no peach blossoms. But today, there are a hundred flowers blooming. Tell me, since the tree god witnessed our love, does this mean we will be together for a thousand years?”

“The tree god isn’t meant for that…”

“Ninth Grandfather… your good grandson hasn’t had enough.”

Chi Muyao’s eyes widened in shock. Even in his drunken, dazed state, he understood what his partner meant. He tried to escape but was pulled back.

The peach blossom mask that had covered his face was removed, revealing his expression of helplessness and vulnerability.

The sound of crying and pleas for mercy disturbed the night, while the scent of flowers wafted gently, and white butterflies fluttered about—a dreamlike scene amidst the peach blossom grove.

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T/N: I share the same sentiments as Lou Qiongzhi :⁠-⁠)

Guys I know I’ve been gone for 2 weeks with no update at all and I am really sorry for that. I’ve been facing some issues with chapter update as when I try to upload them all paragraphs get clumped together and I have to seperate each of them manually. I’ve asked someone else to update the chapters for me and hopefully all the remaining chapters will be up in a few days. Thank you for your understanding.