It Turns out that I am Beautiful, Strong and Miserable [Quick Wear] - 164

 

ITOTIABSAM | The Immortal on Liuyun Mountain | 164

Hidden amidst the bustling city, with the venerable ancestor of the Tribulation Crossing Period presiding, the Song Family had taken sole possession of a city. Standing on tiptoes, Lin Yao curiously peered inward, almost feeling like she had stepped into the secular world.

Beside her stood Ma Shitou, who had changed into a new Daoist robe, carrying the wooden sword commonly used by new disciples. Though still thin and dark, his body seemed more robust than before.

"Sister," Lin Xuan helplessly reached out, embracing his dust whisk, pressing down on Lin Yao's shoulder, "Etiquette."

Today was the grand ceremony of the alliance between Song Daoist Friend and the Immortal of the other realm. It had been a long time since the cultivation world had seen such a lively event. 

With numerous guests, there was no room for the slightest mistake. That's why the scrutiny upon entering the city was so strict.

Due to Ma Shitou's acquaintance, the Qingfeng Sect also received an invitation. Considering that he and his junior sister had once had a brief encounter with the two main figures, their master decided to seize this opportunity for them to attend the ceremony.

"I know, I know," Lin Yao obediently stood up straight, rubbing Ma Shitou's head, "You've got good insight. I'll make sure to cultivate diligently from now on, so you won't be looked down upon by others."

Several dozen days ago, on Haoran Peak, the strange Immortal personally spoke up to seek justice for this child. Logically speaking, in this world of sects, including the Wuliang Sword Sect, as long as Ma Shitou wished, he could easily join as a legitimate inner disciple, even if he lacked spiritual roots. They would use precious treasures of heaven and earth to cultivate one for him.

—Who wouldn't want the opportunity to be on good terms with the strange Immortal? At least in the eyes of the outside world, accepting Ma Shitou would be akin to secretly gaining the support of a half-step ascended powerhouse.

But who would have thought, this child turned out to be stubborn and single-minded. Despite others breaking their mouths to convince him otherwise, he insisted on choosing the relatively unknown Qingfeng Sect.

After all, these were respected seniors in the cultivation world, elders of various sects who upheld their identities. They could only pretend that nothing had happened and acquiesce to the child's wish.

As a result, the reputation of the Qingfeng Sect soared for a while.

"Fortunately, my father is clear-headed. He directly closed the mountain gate. Even during the Golden Core stage, they still wanted to become my junior brothers and sisters. You don't need to think hard to know what they were plotting."

Thinking "to get the moon, one must be close to the water's edge," and trying to establish a relationship with the Immortal? They didn't have the face for it.

With clear self-awareness, Lin Yao muttered to herself as she handed over her waist token and invitation. Catching a glimpse of the surprised expression on the city guard's face, she quietly extended her index finger, playfully gesturing to "shush."

Once they truly entered the city, Lin Yao realized what it meant to be bustling. It seemed the Song Family had decided to let everyone share in the joy. As long as they were cultivators coming to offer congratulations, they were all warmly welcomed.

Such a "lack of aristocratic demeanor" approach deeply appealed to Lin Yao.

For a wedding, of course, it had to be lively. What's the fun in being cold and distant? Moreover, with Xie Ye and Song Yujing present, even if someone had the courage of a bear and the heart of a leopard, they wouldn't dare cause trouble today.

The gate of the Qingfeng Sect was relatively remote. By the time the three of them arrived, it was nearing an auspicious time. They handed over the prepared gifts to the young Daoist in charge of welcoming guests. Lin Xuan, the eldest, led the way, accompanied by Lin Yao and Ma Shitou, stepping into the Song Family mansion nestled beside the mountains and water. 

Instantly, they felt themselves enveloped in a gentle and abundant spiritual energy, lifting their spirits.

Dang—

The deep and resonant sound of the bell rang out, announcing that the grand ceremony was about to begin. Due to Xie Ye's preference for tranquility, the spectators from all directions kept their distance, only able to vaguely see the two figures standing opposite each other on the platform.

With Xie Ye's cultivation and seniority, there was originally no one qualified to officiate his wedding. However, considering Gu Cong's identity in this lifetime was ultimately related to the Song Family, he had to save some face to a certain extent.

Also seated on the platform but closer to the front was Song's father. If it weren't for the ancestor insisting on taking up this task, how could he have had nothing else to do at this moment?

As the saying goes, "Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Wearing a more brightly colored garment, Song Yujing maintained a stern expression on his wooden face. He lightly tapped his toes and gracefully descended onto the platform. Perched on his shoulder was a chubby white bird, clumsily holding the marriage contract in its beak.

The surroundings fell silent instantly.

Some even began to wonder whether the ancestor, who had specifically brought along a mundane bird devoid of spiritual power, was displeased with this marriage arrangement.

Fortunately, the chaos that had occurred on Haoran Peak did not repeat itself. The incense was lit, the marriage contract was presented, blood was drawn... Every step proceeded in an orderly manner, without any mistakes occurring.

The flickering flames gradually consumed the red-gold lettered paper, inch by inch. As they waited for the response from the heavens, 1101 suddenly felt a bit nervous, fearing that the cosmic consciousness might cause trouble again.

But Xie Ye remained indifferent. "It's just a formality," he said.

Their feelings for each other, Xie Ye and Gu Cong, didn't need any external validation to prove.

The young man holding his fingertips clearly shared the same sentiment. His gaze lingered on the marriage contract for just a moment before returning to Xie Ye with joy in his eyes.

"You look really good in red," he said.

The youth's appearance was already outstanding. Usually dressed in plain white, he had always managed to suppress any hint of vibrancy, maintaining an air of unapproachable coldness.

Now, in bright red attire, although the wedding garments were not elaborate, adorned only with faint golden patterns as decoration, they still managed to showcase the stunning beauty of the other party's features, making it impossible for anyone to look away.

The guests below the platform couldn't help but sigh. Although the Song family's eldest son was young, he was tall and stood side by side with the Immortal, truly a perfect match.

With a crackling sound, the last wisp of flame leaped high, bursting into a large "firework." In an instant, intricate formations appeared beneath the feet of Xie Ye and Gu Cong, rapidly shrinking and splitting in two before merging into their foreheads.

In the depths of his consciousness, Xie Ye felt a connection with his primordial spirit, as if the puppet threads between his fingers were intertwined with a warmth bound to his destiny.

Gu Cong's reaction, on the other hand, was completely unreserved.

"Xie Ye." Firmly embracing the young man's waist, he spun his partner around just as he had done the first time they candidly interacted at the inn, joyfully declaring, "I am yours."

From that moment on, they were inseparable, bound by life and death.

---

The grand ceremony that stirred the entire cultivation world kept the Song family lively for nearly half a month. The only notable absence that drew attention was the Wuliang Sword Sect.

In between was Shen Qingshu, and it was indeed difficult for both sides to meet again. However, despite this, the old sect master still instructed his disciples to send a gift in advance.

A whole box of ancient books, all containing records related to Liuyun Mountain.

Xie Ye, with nothing else to do, only discovered the interesting nature of this gift when he looked through it. It was evidently much more intriguing than other treasures of heaven and earth, even catching 1101's interest.

"So Liuyun Mountain was the first place where a cultivator attempted ascension and fell?" They quickly compared the dates with a chart. "Look, after that, many cultivators went to Liuyun Mountain to undergo tribulations in memory, tribute, or seeking fame. No wonder whenever Liuyun Mountain is mentioned, people think of death on the path of cultivation."

With such a continuous influx, even a prosperous shop could turn into an ominous dwelling.

Most importantly, before the end approached, there was simply no possibility of ascension in this small world. Even the most talented cultivators would only be scattered by tribulation lightning, returning to pure spiritual energy to nourish the heavens and earth, completing the cycle within the closed world.

Over time, the legends surrounding Liuyun Mountain became more and more mysterious.

Coincidentally, the world consciousness also needed an excuse to conceal the fact that ascension was hopeless. Thus, with countless people's fantasies manipulated, not only was Liuyun Mountain demonized, but even creatures like "Immortals," specifically opposed to cultivators, were created. Unknowingly, intangible fears were turned into tangible realities.

"But they fear the strange Immortal, not Xie Ye. So when you leave Liuyun Mountain, you lose that inexplicable, maddening halo, and you become like an ordinary person," they gradually clarified the logic, marveling. "After all, those were all the settings that imagination endowed the Immortals with. What does it have to do with you, Xie Ye?"

Even if the later host disclosed his identity and had a first impression ingrained in the minds of many cultivators, in their eyes, he was still a human with white clothes and black hair, not a sinister and terrifying chaotic entity.

Turning a page of the book casually, Xie Ye said indifferently, "So it turns out I'm just a bedtime story."

But it wasn't told by parents to children; it was told by the world consciousness to all cultivators.

The successive breakthroughs of the old sect master and Qin Ji were likely due to facing their fears, firming their Dao hearts, and with the plot reaching its climax, the pathway to ascension was finally opened, albeit belatedly.

"Master?" After practicing swordsmanship a hundred times, the young man still found himself sitting at the table, chin propped up. He had intentionally cleaned himself up neatly. Gu Cong bent down and approached, saying, "You've been reading for a long time."

"Are the stories inside more interesting than me?" Enjoying the taste, newlyweds in the honeymoon period, Xie Ye set aside the book as per the suggestion, turned his head, and lightly kissed the other on the lips.

However, the reassured young man was still not satisfied. With one hand propping up the edge of the table, Gu Cong enveloped Xie Ye in his arms. "Perfunctory."

"We have to start over."

Through the long night, warmed by the red candlelight in the tent, they embarked on their journey against the current, fighting fate. 

For cultivators, breaking through the Nascent Soul stage would extend their lifespan to a thousand years. Xie Ye had thought he would accompany Gu Cong for a long time, but at the moment he passed through the tribulation of ascension, this meticulously crafted illusion, so convincing it was almost indistinguishable from reality, shattered like a falling mirror.

【It should be that Gu Cong's memories couldn't construct the scene after ascension...】 Darkness engulfed him, and comfortingly, 1101 began to explain, but before finishing its sentence, it emitted a crackling sound like a malfunctioning electrical current for the first time.

A suffocating sensation, akin to drowning, washed over him, and his thoughts gradually became blurred. Xie Ye closed his eyes and suddenly plummeted.

Ding!

Gu Cong woke up successfully transmitted.

The sky was dimming slightly as he sat in a chilly bus. Outside the window seemed to be a rest stop, and the driver, who had just honked the horn, was cursing as he picked up a cigarette and opened the door.

About two-thirds of the seats within his line of sight were empty, with most of the remaining passengers sound asleep. Some looked nervous to the point of passing out, like the person sitting diagonally to his left.

【It's the background of an infinite stream, and there's been a bug in the small world that needs your attention.】 Quickly implanting the repair program from the bureau into Gu Cong's wristwatch, 0028 chattered on, "You! You're not willing to follow the script, fine, but how many invitations have the Strategy Department and the Rescue Department sent you? High freedom and leisure, but you don't want to do it. Instead, you choose this difficult and thankless task."

In a small world a bug makes it more prone to collapse, and if not dealt with promptly, even the Quick Transmigration Bureau would find it difficult to save. Having been together for so long, Gu Cong was already accustomed to the other's presence, taking in information effortlessly as he calmly browsed through the character backgrounds.

---Dangerous, perhaps, but as long as he stayed alive, he could wait for the program to repair the underlying code of the small world without having to involve any emotions. Nor would he harm anyone.

Jiang Chuan, male, thirty years old, ranked player, leader of a small guild with nine members... Just as he was about to take another look at his new appearance through the car window, Gu Cong's peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of a figure.

It was a young man.

Thin and frail, dressed in an oversized old-fashioned school uniform that seemed picked out from a trash bin, his narrow phoenix eyes dark and gloomy, like a wandering soul.

As 0028 saw the face clearly, it exclaimed in surprise but quickly halted, "Isn't this..."

...Xie Ye.

Quietly completing the name that the system hesitated to mention in his mind, Gu Cong unconsciously raised his hand and touched the spot on his left shoulder, near his heart.

Previous TOC Next

Author's Note:

The end of the sixth world, the beginning of the seventh world, confetti!

This is probably the most "senior" time, haha!

Volume Seven: Infinite Game