Time passes like a fleeting white colt, gone in an instant.
This day marks the grand wedding of the young master of the Spirit Sword Sect and the holy maiden of the Moon Shadow Sect.
In Muyun Prefecture, the Spirit Sword Sect is the unanimously chosen leader of the righteous path,
while the Moon Shadow Sect is the undisputed head of the demonic path.
A marriage between the two, not to mention how lavish and lively the wedding should be, or how prestigious the guests ought to be, should at least involve red paper decorations and a few sect leaders or elders to grace the occasion, right?
But in reality, not only were there no outsiders at the wedding, even the Spirit Sword Sect couldn’t be bothered to send an elder.
Perhaps in their eyes, attending the wedding of a “blind” and “incapable of cultivating” young sect master was a rather inauspicious affair.
In the small courtyard, inside the west wing.
Gu Shenzhi had already changed into his wedding attire, a large red flower pinned to his chest.
The sleeves were too wide, the robe too long, making him look quite comical.
If not for his handsome features and well-proportioned figure, he might have resembled a clown playing mad.
But this was within his expectations.
The Red Lotus Holy Maiden, a peerless genius, the most beautiful woman in Muyun Prefecture— in others’ eyes, how could someone like Gu Shenzhi be worthy of marrying her?
He probably wasn’t even fit to lick her shoes.
The Moon Shadow Sect, from top to bottom, harbored deep malice toward him.
If not for Sect Master Mu’s strict orders, with the disciples’ resentment, they’d likely have broken every limb in his body and still not let it go.
At that moment, the voices of servant disciples gossiping reached him from outside.
They deliberately raised their voices, as if afraid Gu Shenzhi wouldn’t hear.
“The Holy Maiden Su actually has to marry that young master of the Spirit Sword Sect, a piece of trash who’s not even worth a fish. I don’t know what the sect master was thinking.”
“Yeah! Most men in the world are fickle beasts who chase the new and discard the old.
Even the few devoted ones aren’t worthy of being Sister Linghuang’s husband.
Last time, that holy son from the Blood Blade Sect came to propose, and the holy maiden sent him running with his tail between his legs after a few sword strikes.”
“I heard this Gu Shenzhi is not only blind but also a cripple who can’t cultivate. They say he even has something going on with that old hag Bai Qi, committing such depraved acts of disrespecting his master and ancestors.”
“Hey, watch your mouth! Insult Gu Shenzhi all you want, but why drag Fairy Bai Qi into this? She’s a beauty like a lotus blooming in water…”
The disciples then descended into a heated argument about Fairy Bai Qi, all while praising Su Linghuang as the greatest in the world and trampling on Gu Shenzhi as “worse than a beast” and “utterly useless.”
Amid the clamor of barking dogs and crowing ravens, Gu Shenzhi merely sipped his goji berry and lotus seed soup, unfazed.
His celestial senior sister being “claimed” by a nobody like him would anger anyone.
Besides, he was marrying Su Linghuang, not them.
But Tao Tian, sitting nearby, couldn’t take it anymore.
She wouldn’t allow anyone to slander her young master.
Her face flushed red, she stood abruptly, ready to storm out and give those gossiping servant disciples a piece of her mind.
Before she could take a few steps, a faint voice came from behind.
“Where’s Xiao Tian rushing off to? Planning to abandon this blind man?”
“Young Master, I can’t stand it! Those people outside are saying such awful things.
I’m going to drive them away right now.”
But Gu Shenzhi remained unmoved, saying coldly, “Are they speaking the truth or lies?”
“Of course… they’re lies,” Tao Tian replied, a bit guiltily, clutching her skirt.
The words slandering her young master’s character were outright lies.
In her three years as his maid, she had seen only his kindness, not a shred of fault.
But some things she couldn’t refute.
Though she believed cultivation didn’t matter, she couldn’t change others’ views.
“If they’re lies, why care? The pure are self-evident, the wise understand. Mere gossip shouldn’t ruin your mood. If Xiao Tian is willing, why not help tailor my clothes? They don’t seem to fit.”
“Alright.”
Looking at Gu Shenzhi’s comical appearance, Tao Tian couldn’t help but laugh.
She went to fetch tailoring tools from the cabinet, but her heart ached with bitterness.
Seeing her young master endure such humiliation pained her deeply.
Tears welled in her eyes, soaking the light pink sleeves.
Meanwhile, in the bridal chamber, Su Linghuang had been fully dressed by her maids.
Before the red纱帐-draped vanity, a sunflower-shaped bronze mirror reflected the bride.
She wore a four-panel tassel phoenix crown, her hair piled high, adorned with exquisite gold hairpins, radiant and luxurious.
Her red silk phoenix robe, embroidered with gold, cinched her slender waist, barely a handful.
Her jade feet, wrapped in sheer silk socks, sparkled, stepping in thousand-layer gold-threaded shoes.
The woman in the mirror had delicate brows, snow-white skin, and lips red as ripe cherries.
Her pearly teeth faintly gleamed, her blood-jade eyes flawless, her aura ethereal, like a fairy from the Jade Pool— far beyond mere mortal beauty or calamity-causing charm.
“Linghuang, good thing Gu Shenzhi is blind, or he’d probably be too smitten to walk seeing you like this.”
Yue Xi reluctantly covered her with the red veil, then took her jade-like arm, leading the bride out.
Though the marriage was in name only, just sharing a bed for the night, nothing more, Su Linghuang couldn’t help feeling nervous.
Her beautiful eyes flickered, her palms sweaty, secretly anticipating Gu Shenzhi’s reaction.
Would he fall at her feet?
If Gu Shenzhi agreed to serve the Moon Shadow Sect, she might let him hold her hand while sleeping.
No, wait—she was saving his life, so why reward him?
The Red Lotus Holy Maiden sensed something off.
Suddenly, she recalled promising him three unconditional requests.
What if, on their wedding night, he wanted to… tumble in the clouds and ascend Wushan together?
Imagining her twenty years of chastity lost tonight, Su Linghuang’s cheeks burned, flushed with a captivating blush, radiant and enchanting, utterly bewitching.
But if she refused, wouldn’t she seem untrustworthy in his eyes?
A holy maiden’s pride wouldn’t allow her to break a promise.
Her thoughts in disarray, Su Linghuang didn’t even notice the hand holding hers had changed.
Guided by the maids, she went through the ceremony in a daze.
Only her master’s bell-like laughter and the warmth of the hand she held stood out clearly, while the details blurred.
As the groom, Gu Shenzhi carefully followed the guide, completing each step methodically.
The guests’ anger and jealousy nearly swallowed him.
If not for Sect Master Mu Zhonghua suppressing the crowd, who knows how many pieces of him would’ve left the hall.
But the wedding wasn’t all bad.
At least the bride’s soft, smooth, boneless hand offered some comfort.
The ceremony was simple, skipping all unnecessary steps.
No feast followed the couple’s bow; Su Linghuang was sent straight to the bridal chamber.
Mu Zhonghua, beaming, stopped Gu Shenzhi.
“You know what to do tonight, right?”
“This junior understands. I won’t even touch a strand of the holy maiden’s hair.”
At that, Mu Zhonghua laughed, leaning close to whisper mysteriously, “I mean, as long as Linghuang is willing, do what you want.”