After Refusing Marriage to the Dao of Slaughter Patriarch (4))

Yun Liu was also surprised by the matter of his master's marriage.

He had left the sect to hone his cultivation. Along the way, he found two or three close friends and encountered countless fortuitous encounters and secret treasures, inevitably wandering outside for quite a long time. It was only when he suddenly received a secret letter from his master that he remembered he had not returned to the Mingling Sword Sect for a long time.

But it was not until he returned to the Sword Sect that he discovered the matter his master had not mentioned in the letter... it turned out he was going to marry a Dao Companion.

He felt a subtle emotion in his heart for a moment.

Yun Liu was, after all, the personal disciple of a Soul Splitting Realm Patriarch, and he was highly respected and admired by other disciples in the sect. Therefore, even if he sat in a corner, he was like a veiled pearl, quickly noticed by others.

Disciples crowded forward, eagerly calling out to their senior brother, bringing him from the secluded seat to a seat of honor. As for Xie Chimeng, who was following beside Yun Liu, the disciples did not recognize him, but they still bowed politely according to etiquette and arranged a seat for him together.

Most of the sect disciples responsible for guiding the way were very busy. Yet, some still stopped and looked at Yun Liu hesitantly.

A disciple mentioned that Ji Zhaixing.

"Senior Brother Yun..." He comforted him softly, seemingly with both sympathy and indignation, "Don't be too sad. Patriarch Yun Shu was only temporarily bewitched by that guy."

Yun Liu couldn't help but laugh, feeling a bit baffled.

"Why should I be sad? Also, you are not allowed to..." He paused, "discuss the Master's wife like this."

That disciple was a little unconvinced, but perhaps he was still wary of the presence of outsiders and found it inconvenient to bring it up again, making an excuse to go do his tasks first.

Amidst the passionate Dao discussions of the cultivators, the auspicious hour approached. The guests all quieted down, casting their gazes toward the Huanxi Terrace.

By this time, Yun Shu had already changed into his wedding attire. The red robes were dazzling, but his silver hair was still tied up as usual, and the indifference between his brows seemed to condense into a chilling frost.

This was a true Soul Splitting Realm Patriarch. Since Yun Shu became famous, he had rarely made public appearances. Therefore, even though some cultivators feared his prestige, they still emboldened themselves to look up at him.

As a Patriarch who had already shed his mortal shell, Yun Shu naturally had an extremely handsome appearance, only slightly too cold. He also held a red silk in his hand—rumored to be the Xiangsi Silk handmade by female cultivators of the Cuzhi Sect, a high-grade magical artifact; and the other master connected to the Xiangsi Silk was the Dao Companion personally chosen by Patriarch Yun Shu, the one who ascended to the heavens overnight.

Whether it was the Zhenjuns and Zhenrens sitting in the upper seats, or the rogue cultivators a little further away, they all looked over, wanting to catch a glimpse of the beauty and see what kind of man could move Patriarch Yun Shu's heart.

The rich aroma of wine almost filled the air, and the white jade wine cup in Xie Chimeng's hand was ironed slightly hot by the spiritual energy in his palm. He wore a faint smile on his lips, his peach blossom eyes filled with interest, and he winked at Yun Liu: "They're coming."

He said, "I want to see if this Ji Zhaixing really looks as beautiful as a clear moon and morning star, enough to even melt that block of ice Yun Shu..."

Just as he looked up, Xie Chimeng slightly froze.

The thick wine dripped between his fingers as the white jade wine cup was crushed into several pieces by his momentarily out-of-control spiritual energy.

Xie Chimeng was completely unaware of it.

In fact, he was not the only one to lose his composure like this. Most of the cultivators present were drowned in that beauty.

Ji Zhaixing's hands were lightly wrapped with the red silk, the bright color making his five fingers appear even more jade-white and slender. His ink-black hair was half-tied by a hairband, falling by his cheeks. With his eyes half-lowered, it was as if all the romance in the world was captured within them.

The cultivators thought dizzily, no wonder, no wonder.

Patriarch Yun Shu's old tree had bloomed, and after so many years, he was finally moved to find a Dao Companion. If they met such a beauty, they would also, they would also...

He was worth it.

Ji Zhaixing lowered his eyes, feeling many gazes falling on him.

Almost completely unhidden.

He and Yun Shu held the same red silk, being led out by Yun Shu. The Azure Sea Lamps that the Mingling Sword Sect had not changed for a thousand years were all replaced with lit Qiongjing Lamps. The dazzling golden light shone on the two newlyweds, giving people the illusion of being enveloped by a warm sun.

And Ji Zhaixing just stood there, looking like a sinking star. Perhaps because he had drunk the Dao-binding wine earlier, there was a tinge of bright color spreading on his fair cheeks. Even his lowered dark eyelashes seemed to crash straight into people's eyes.

...As if he was shy.

Tang Huaimeng merely struggled to look up for a glance, and was almost bewitched.

Immediately after, his heart felt uncomfortably suppressed again, as if his Golden Core had shattered and he had suffered a lightning tribulation. That strange emotion surged so violently that it almost tore his entire being apart.

Tang Huaimeng even felt the embarrassment of wanting to flee in panic.

On the Huanxi Terrace.

Yun Shu's cultivation base was simply too high. It was so high that the Mingling Sword Sect couldn't pick a Patriarch whose realm was deeper than his and who was not in closed-door cultivation. Therefore, the etiquette of bowing to masters and seniors was skipped, moving straight to the step of drinking the nuptial cup together.

Yun Shu drank it all in one gulp.

"I, Yun Shu, become Dao Companions with Ji Zhaixing. I swear to grow old together, until ascending and crossing the tribulation, neither perishing nor falling."

Even the vows of marrying a Dao Companion, Yun Shu spoke them without any ripples, as if reciting a cultivation incantation.

Ji Zhaixing's slender, pale hand also gathered the spiritual wine in his palm.

He looked at Yun Shu with a smiling expression. Even his gaze was deeply affectionate, as if his eyes were full of starlight, leaving only Yun Shu inside.

Ji Zhaixing gently pulled the red silk, tugging both sides.

"Patriarch Yun Shu." His voice was very soft, but because of the enhancement of the array formation, it still fell clearly into the ears of every cultivator.

In the past, Ji Zhaixing had never called Yun Shu like this.

The pale and gorgeous beauty tilted his head up slightly, drinking the contents of the cup bit by bit. His lips seemed to be dyed with flower juice, extremely moist.

"You have shown me kindness." Ji Zhaixing smiled faintly, but it wasn't as tender as before. Instead, it inexplicably revealed a kind of spirited resoluteness.

Yun Shu frowned slightly, watching Ji Zhaixing drink.

"First, for slaying the Locust Tree Demon for my sect, saving the lives of a small world. Second, for bringing me to the Mingling Sword Sect, letting me see that on the path of cultivation, above the Nascent Soul, there is the possibility of eternal life and ascending to immortality." The youth's eyes were exceptionally bright. "From that day on, I was willing to lay down my life to repay your kindness."

Ji Zhaixing spoke softly, but the weight of his words was heavy.

Such deep gratitude almost made the cultivators present feel another bit of envy towards Patriarch Yun Shu.

After all, the demons of a small world were only unbridled because there were no upper realm cultivators; they weren't difficult for them to clear out. And bringing the youth to the upper realm was nothing more than a casual act. Such a simple act of grace could exchange for the true heart of a beauty, which was truly enviable.

The black-haired cultivator continued slowly:

"What I have for you is the admiration and respect for a senior and an expert. So when you told me you wanted to become Dao Companions with me..." While other cultivators roused their spirits, thinking to themselves that it was actually Patriarch Yun Shu who made the first move, Ji Zhaixing tilted his head slightly. The black hair and crimson hairband both hung down over his cheek. That instant was so bright and stunning that it snatched the breath away.

"Before this, I have never loved anyone. But I thought that from that day on, I would be willing to become Dao Companions with you, treading on thin ice to try, giving my all with only this one true heart."

In the cultivator's seats, someone's heart probably broke. A Patriarch had intentions, and the beauty was infatuated. There was no room for anyone to intervene.

Yet Ji Zhaixing lightly lowered his eyes again: "It should have been like this."

The nuptial wine cup fell, shattering into several sharp pieces. Ji Zhaixing took a slight step back, and the red silk slipped through his palms. With just this single action, it was as if the two were incredibly unfamiliar, with a barrier between them like a natural chasm.

The situation then took a sharp turn for the worse.

Ji Zhaixing said indifferently, "But Patriarch Yun Shu only did this for a section of the Transformation Dao Bone in my body, to mend his beloved disciple's spiritual root. To become Dao Companions—is this compensation, or is it charity?"

Yun Shu's always cold and composed expression finally fractured at this moment, a trace of shock in his eyes. "How did you..."

He quickly recovered, his expression holding a hint of panic that others couldn't discern, and he said with anger, "Ji Zhaixing, you want to escape?"

"But no matter what, you cannot escape the Mingling Sword Sect," Yun Shu said.

Everyone was shocked.

The terrifying aspect of a Patriarch might lie precisely here.

Truly heartless and ruthless, yet capable of turning clouds to rain.

Even those cultivators felt a chill and a surge of anger towards Yun Shu's actions, yet it could only turn into powerlessness—simply because Yun Shu was a Soul Splitting Realm Zhenjun. Even if he openly snatched the Dao Bone, he still had the power to blot out the sky with one hand.

Yun Liu had already stood up in shock, his face as pale as paper.

Even if he was dull-witted, he understood who the "beloved disciple" in Ji Zhaixing's mouth was.

To think his master would do such a thing because of him...

The Huanxi Terrace, where the two were becoming Dao Companions, was designed to block all spells of cultivators below the Soul Splitting Realm to prevent troublemakers. At this moment, it perfectly blocked Yun Liu on the outside.

And the two who were supposed to become Dao Companions now faced each other with icy gazes in an extreme stalemate.

Ji Zhaixing suddenly unfastened his bright red outer robe, leaving him wearing only a white-gold inner garment. At his waist, in the place previously covered by the outer robe, hung a slender saber.

Sheathless Demon Blade.

Ji Zhaixing only said, "I have waited until today, why would I escape?"

For some reason, Yun Shu's heart was accumulating a sense of irritability. He stared almost gloomily at the Golden Core sword cultivator who dared to provoke him, the aura around him extremely chilling.

"Ji Zhaixing, with just a Demonic Saber, you think you can hurt me?"

Ji Zhaixing smiled, filled with the spirited vigor of youth. Just like he was originally in that small sect, the deeply favored young master of the sect.

Yun Shu had never been looked at by Ji Zhaixing with such unfamiliar eyes. He became inexplicably anxious again, a dull ache accumulating in his dantian.

The black-haired sword cultivator said, "Patriarch Yun Shu, my words that day were not false. Whatever you want, I will give to you."

He raised his hand.

The sharp Sheathless Demon Blade, its blade as bright as snow, was drawn for the first time, only to drink its master's blood.

Ji Zhaixing pressed the sharp edge against himself, slashing from his shoulder to his chest. The back pierced by the blade gushed out fresh blood, instantly soaking half his body.

Yun Shu's pupils shrank slightly. The scene before him seemed to exceed his comprehension, as if his mind had suffered a heavy blow, turning completely blank.

Especially since the person was completely indifferent, chanting a spell. A drop of blood somehow stained the corner of his eye, like a red mole on his cheek, incomparably beautiful yet looking like he was at the end of his rope.

The glistening white Dao Bone was carved out of his body little by little.

Ji Zhaixing had never been so unrestrained and flamboyant. But his face was terrifyingly pale, as if in the very next instant, his soul would scatter and shatter right before Yun Shu's eyes.

Under the severe pain, Ji Zhaixing surprisingly managed to maintain a clear mind.

He said to Yun Shu, "You have taught me so many profound spells, but I haven't learned a single one. Only this Bone Extraction Secret Art, I saw it just once, and it was engraved in my heart."