Chapter 15
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The sound of hoofbeats grew closer and denser, gradually causing even the earth to tremble. This was no lone rider; it felt more like an entire army approaching. Yuchi Xiao couldn’t help but exclaim, “Could it be that Sect Master Xu is so deeply in love that he’s brought a large number of disciples from Cangyang Sect to welcome his wife? But why aren’t they flying on swords?”
Suddenly, Meng Yunfei interjected, “That doesn’t seem right.”
“What do you mean?”
Meng Yunfei’s expression turned somewhat grim, “Cangyang Sect has no records of the Sect Master suffering from eye injuries, nor have we heard of a large number of disciples descending the mountain to welcome a bride. The illusion we’re experiencing now, is it a reenactment of events from twenty years ago, or…”
Before he could finish his sentence, the ground suddenly ceased its trembling. Then, countless horses neighed loudly.
The warhorses were reined in one after another, their front hooves thundering as they touched the ground, indicating that a large group of soldiers had suddenly been halted on the road. Meng Yunfei’s voice stopped abruptly, and both of them focused their attention, listening intently. They only heard soldiers in the distance draw their swords and shout, “Who dares to block the way?!”
Surprisingly, there was no response.
The valley opposite them suddenly fell into silence. There were no inquiries, no conversations, not even the slightest sound of swords being unsheathed.
The two couldn’t help but exchange a glance, each seeing unease in the other’s eyes.
—What was happening in the distance?
What had caused the previously galloping army to fall into utter silence?
As the gentle breeze brushed through the grass and the night insects chirped intermittently, moonlight gently bathed the mountain valley, and drifting peach blossoms brushed against the night sky. Everything was so calm, as if even the sound of a pin dropping could be heard, yet the ominous foreboding grew heavier and drew closer—
At that moment, a tall figure appeared at the end of the stone path.
Xu Shuangce emerged from the depths of the valley, dressed in flowing white robes that fluttered in the wind, resembling a celestial banished under the moonlight. The sword in his hand reflected a cold, icy light, as blood trickled down its blade, forming a crimson path behind him.
“…” Yuchi Xiao finally found his voice, “Sect…. Master Xu…”
Xu Shuangce remained calm, as if the silent slaughter just now was merely an illusion. He brushed past them and walked directly to the door of the courtyard, speaking without turning back, “What are you two doing here?”
He actually initiated the conversation!
Yuchi Xiao couldn’t help but speak out, “Sect Master, you’ve fallen under an illusion. This is all a projection of your memories from twenty years ago! You are currently in Linjiang City in the real world. You must wake up immediately so that we can—”
“Are you guests here to witness the ceremony?” Xu Shuangce interrupted.
Yuchi Xiao fell silent.
“Guests are always welcome. But the wedding banquet will be held tomorrow. You may return at dawn.”
Yuchi Xiao’s pupils suddenly contracted, but it was too late. As soon as Xu Shuangce finished speaking, walls rose up from all sides, rapidly constructing a house and trapping Yuchi Xiao and Meng Yunfei inside. With a loud bang, the door closed.
Yuchi Xiao was furious, “Sect Master Xu!” He rushed forward to break down the door.
Meng Yunfei shouted, “Don’t act recklessly!”
Outside the house, Xu Shuangce, without looking back, said, “It’s the middle of the night. Why are the guests making such a racket?”
As the last word fell, an invisible force lifted the two of them off the ground and threw them onto two beds with a bang. Immediately, transparent ropes descended from above and securely bound them to the bedframes!
Yuchi Xiao exclaimed, “I—”
But the next moment, a silence spell was cast on him, forcing him to mute himself!
Meng Yunfei turned his head abruptly to look out the window, only to see the night outside, tranquil and serene. Xu Shuangce reached out and pushed open the courtyard door, then walked calmly to the opposite door, standing in front of it, his back to them, and said, “I’m back.”
Although blood dripped from his sword onto the steps, his voice was gentle:
“I’ve missed you very much all this time.”
Meanwhile, inside the house, Gong Wei leaned against the door panel, his pupils dilating silently.
The interior of the room had changed—red decorations adorned the beams and walls, a red and gold wedding couplet was pasted above the bed, and a gilded sandalwood dowry chest stood against the wall. Eight large joyous candles crackled and flickered, casting shadows in the room. Sitting in front of the dressing table, with her back to him, was a woman dressed in bridal attire, wearing a red veil, her white hands folded on her knees.
Everything was exactly as he remembered, except for one thing.
In the past, it was him sitting under the red veil.
As soon as General Bai left the valley, the “village girl” waved her hand and took over the entire Peach Blossom Village, happily following him to the capital. Although Law Flower Immortal could cause trouble, he also had a good side—he could complete any serious tasks assigned to him without fail. As Ying Kai repeatedly instructed him not to let Xu Shuangce’s soul be harmed in the illusion, he ensured that General Bai rose to prominence smoothly, even sneaking into the palace and finding a random imperial physician to possess, spending the night reading medical books and ancient texts, and even curing his blindness.
With his mission accomplished, Gong Wei breathed a sigh of relief, counted the casualties on the battlefield, and considered whether he should attach himself to the emperor for a few years of indulgence. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck out of the blue—
After regaining his sight, General Bai called for his guards and prepared to return to Peach Blossom Village to welcome his bride.
He hadn’t forgotten the “village girl” named Ah Tao!
Gong Wei was frightened out of his wits, immediately returning to the real world, crawling out of the mirror in the dead of night to shake Ying Kai awake, “No matter what happens in the illusion, after returning to the real world, memories will not be retained, right?”
Ying Kai said, “As long as they return from the illusion world normally, usually, that’s correct…”
Gong Wei breathed a sigh of relief, but Ying Kai’s tone suddenly turned serious, “But there’s one thing that absolutely cannot happen.”
“What is it?”
“Getting married.”
Gong Wei’s tone immediately changed.
“Sect Master Xu practices the Heartless Dao and would never develop feelings for another. If he harbors thoughts of marriage in the illusion, it would undoubtedly lead to emotional entanglement. Emotional entanglement is a major obstacle to ascension, so it’s imperative to nip it in the bud and ensure he doesn’t stray from the right path. Do you understand?”
Gong Wei: “……………”
Gong Wei had no idea where the illusion had gone wrong to make Xu Shuangce fall into an emotional obstacle. After thinking it over, he was at a loss and could only return to the Mirror Realm in embarrassment, only to find himself already dressed up by the village women and sitting in the new house.
It was the eve of the wedding, with a gentle breeze outside the window and all sounds quiet. General Bai’s footsteps hesitated outside the door for a long time before he couldn’t help but knock. “Ah Tao?”
Gong Wei didn’t dare to make a sound.
“I’ve missed you a lot this past year,” Xu Shuangce’s tone softened even further, with a hint of tenderness. “Can I come in and see you?”
Of course not, absolutely not!
For the illusory world constructed by the Mirror Realm, Gong Wei was an outsider. If General Bai saw his face or heard his voice, it would awaken the part of Xu Shuangce’s soul belonging to the “past life,” and the illusion would immediately collapse!
Gong Wei lifted the veil, stared at himself in the mirror for a moment, and suddenly had an idea. He used his mind to prompt one of the village women outside to intercept General Bai, explaining softly that it was not auspicious for the couple to meet before the auspicious time, especially for the bride.
Xu Shuangce was usually a person of strong will, but for some reason that day, he was persuaded. He stood outside for a while longer, admonishing “Ah Tao” to rest early before leaving the courtyard in the darkness of night.
Gong Wei leaned against the door and listened to his footsteps fading away, with only one thought in his mind: How did this man fall into such an emotional obstacle?
The illusion I created was clearly flawless; it must be his own wavering dao heart!
Knock, knock, knock.
At that moment, a knock on the door interrupted Gong Wei’s thoughts. Outside, Xu Shuangce called out to Ah Tao again, in the same tone as twenty years ago in the illusion:
“Are you asleep?”
Gong Wei gathered his thoughts, crept to the bride’s side, lifted the veil, and snapped his fingers at the smooth, featureless, and incredibly eerie face.
The next moment, everything went black before his eyes, and there was a rustling sound in his ears. When he opened his eyes again, he had replaced the faceless puppet, sitting properly in front of the dowry chest. Bright red candles flickered, casting shadows, and in the mirror, he could see his own silhouette wearing bridal attire with a veil.
If Xu Shuangce had entered twenty years ago, he would have seen this scene—there was never any “village girl” in his subconscious; “Ah Tao” had never existed from the beginning.
Sitting in the room in bridal attire was only Law Flower Immortal, who was in a dilemma.
Gong Wei took a deep breath, knowing that this moment could break the illusion with a single move. He suddenly swept his sleeve and opened the door.
Creak—
The door opened slowly, and the cool night breeze drifted in through the crack, filling the room.
Gong Wei’s line of sight was blocked by the red veil, but by the moonlight leaking through the crack, he could vaguely see Xu Shuangce standing outside the courtyard. The half-side profile blocked by the door extended a long shadow on the ground.
After a while, that shadow finally moved. Xu Shuangce raised his hand and gently placed it on the door.
He could finally come in and see his long-awaited bride with his own eyes.
—As long as he lifted the veil and saw the face of Gong Wei, who had died sixteen years ago, he would immediately realize that everything in front of him was false. At that moment, the master’s soul would return to its place, and the illusion would collapse, pulling everyone back to reality in Linjiang City.
The room was eerily quiet, and Gong Wei’s spine was stiff with tension.
But then Xu Shuangce spoke, each word filled with warmth that couldn’t be expressed:
“Do you remember when I said that the next time we meet, we would be husband and wife? It’s so wonderful.”
Then he seemed to sigh softly with a hint of a smile.
“But it’s very unlucky to see the bride before the auspicious time. It’s late now; you should rest early.”
Gong Wei was taken aback.
But before he could react, he saw Xu Shuangce outside the door, his figure swaying, gently closing the door, and walking away along the stone path.
He didn’t come in!
Gong Wei had made all the preparations, even planning how Xu Shuangce would fly into a rage, how he would be forced to draw his sword, and how everyone would escape after returning to reality in Linjiang City—yet he didn’t come in!
“….” Gong Wei sat there blinking, taking a moment to come back to his senses, then jumped off the chair, lifted the veil, rolled up his sleeves, and was about to chase after him. But suddenly, he heard a distant, melancholy tune.
Outside the window, the mountains were clear, and the scattered peach blossoms danced in the sky. Xu Shuangce’s silhouette sat on the treetop, his sleeves and hair gently swaying as he concentrated on playing a piece on the bamboo leaf.
The sound was clear and melodious, tinged with joy and sorrow, blending into the gentle moonlight with the breeze.
Gong Wei couldn’t help but stop in his tracks, staring through the window, thinking: Wasn’t he sitting on that tree at this time in his previous life, waiting for dawn?
Xu Shuangce was truly handsome, but unfortunately…
His thoughts stalled here without continuing. Because the next moment, that inherent, extremely familiar consciousness emerged from the depths of his soul once again, ringing clearly in his ears:
—Unfortunately, I must kill him.
Gong Wei blinked, and sighed regretfully.
He reached out to push open the window, but before he could chase after him, the tune of the bamboo leaves in the distance suddenly changed slightly.
With this change, an irresistible drowsiness surged from all directions, flooding in like a tide, making Gong Wei’s eyelids suddenly heavy. Involuntarily, he sat on the small stool by the window, barely managing to utter two words:
“Xu Bai…”
The soft, trailing tone dissipated into the night breeze, and he tilted his head against the window frame, his chin supported by a slender, white arm, slowly sinking into a peaceful slumber.
“The auspicious time has arrived—”
“Carry the bridal sedan—”
A suona suddenly pierced the sky, followed by joyful music, drums thundering, and Gong Wei abruptly woke up from his sleep!
Outside the window, the sky was already bright, and men, women, and children from the village were all out, joyfully running around on the main road. Gong Wei’s heart trembled; he didn’t know how he had fallen asleep last night. He quickly got up and walked outside.
But as soon as his toes touched the ground, he heard a knock on the door, followed by a push and two women draped in red and green, with no facial features!
Although their smooth, blank “faces” had no mouths, their muffled laughter continued to emanate from their throats like two cotton-stuffed dolls. One said, “New bride, the auspicious time has arrived!”
The other said, “New bride, it’s time to get on the bridal sedan!”
They approached from both sides, supporting Gong Wei without hesitation, and walked towards the big red bridal sedan outside the door.
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