Translator: Ninetales Editor: DarkGem
The dragon qilin carried everyone to the village in front and Blind immediately took care of the purchases. He bought phoenix coronets and bridal gowns, some other outfits, and a big red silk ball for Qin Mu. He invited a few old women to help the four to change.
âEmperor Yanfeng lost his daughter so he might find his way here. Who knows what will happen if we drag this out, so itâs best they consummate immediately!â
Blind took out some great abundance coins from the little foxâs bag to buy a huge house with a courtyard. He also hired some maids and took care of all other things, preparing to have them marry that day.
Qin Mu was tied up firmly, but his cultivation was still there. He secretly blew the golden flute to make the flood dragons launch a sneak attack on Blind and tie him up.
However, just as the golden flute sounded, before it could make a connection with the flood dragons, Blind sensed something wrong. He tapped the heart of Qin Muâs brows with his bamboo cane, and Qin Mu heard booming coming from his body. His Six Directions, Five Elements, and Spirit Embryo Divine Treasures were forcefully closed one after another.
Blind was scared of him playing any tricks, so he sealed Ling Yuxiu and Si Yunxiangâs divine treasures as well.
Hu Lingâer saw him walking over and jumped in excitement. âGrandpa Blind, donât worry, Lingâer wonât run!â
Blind immediately loosened the golden rope on her body. âI shall untie your ropes, so help me look after them. I shall go book a few banquet tables and invite a theatrical troupe.â
âAlright!â the little fox said without a momentâs hesitation.
âTraitor!â Ling Yuxiu and Si Yunxiang stared at her angrily.
Hu Lingâer was immensely proud of herself. She jumped into a chair and swayed her braids.
âGrandpa Blind sure is experiencedâ¦â Qin Mu exclaimed in his heart, admiring him endlessly. The divine art heâd just used had casually sealed their cultivations, making them unable to execute their tricks even if they had any.
âFatty Dragon, come over.â Qin Muâs gaze flickered as he called the dragon qilin over. âCarry us and run!â
The dragon qilin shook his head. âSince I canât run faster than him, might as well not run.â When he was done, he wagged his tail and went back to guard the door.
Qin Mu was stunned. He felt the dragon qilin needed to lose weight severely.
When night time came, Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu were held down by a few old women and forced to marry each other. Blind had invited nearly all the people in the small town to witness the wedding. He didnât accept any gifts, and the theatrical troupe also consisted of only ordinary people playing horns and suona. Everything was very basic.
The wedding was naturally very bustling, though, and finally Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu were sent into the bridal room by the townsfolk.
Hu Lingâer was unhappy to see that the bride wasnât her and began to drink a lot, spewing nonsense.
Blind waved his hand and said, âCome again tomorrow, thereâll be another wedding. The groom will be the same, but the bride will be changed!â
âThis groom is truly a lucky man!â everyone exclaimed and left.
Hu Lingâer jumped onto the table, carrying a wine jar that was bigger than hers. She said in a drunken stupor, âGrandpa Blind, I want to be the bride tomorrow!â
âAlright, alright.â Blind nodded repeatedly.
In the room, Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu sat on the edge of the bed, listening to the commotion gradually fading into the distance. They felt slightly terrified and anxious. After a moment, Ling Yuxiu lifted a corner of her veil and took a sneaky glance at Qin Mu who was wearing the big red silk ball at her side. He was clutching it nervously, and she suddenly burst into laughter.
Qin Mu stared at her. âYou can still laugh! If you father learns of this, heâll definitely take my head off!â
Wanting to lift up the veil, Ling Yuxiu rolled her eyes and giggled. âPeople say that itâs unlucky for a girl to take off her own veil; e a man must do it.â
âThereâs even such a rule?â
Qin Mu was astonished. He took the veil off of her and became stunned. The powdered and rosy-cheeked girl was indescribably captivating under the candlelight. Ling Yuxiu blushed bashfully and rolled her eyes at him. âWhat are you looking at?â
âSo beautiful.â Qin Mu then stood up and went to push the door, but he couldnât open it. âGrandpa Blind locked the door. Iâll go and check the windows.â
He opened the window and was about to jump out when a bamboo cane pointed at him. Blindâs voice followed right after it. âSleep, donât think of running.â
Qin Mu jumped in shock and said furiously, âGrandpa Blind, why are you squatting at the corner?â
âRules,â Blind said. âDonât worry, Iâm blind, I canât see anything.â
âSure you canât!â Qin Mu closed the window and sat back down on the edge of the bed. âGrandpa Blind is guarding over there so Iâm afraid we canât escape,â he said, slightly depressed.
The two of them sat at the side of the bed. Ling Yuxiu clutched the corner of her skirt while Qin Mu held onto the red silk ball in front of his chest. After some time, Blindâs coughing came from outside the window. âThere are nuptial cups on the table, quickly drink them and sleep!â
Qin Mu picked up the wine jar and smashed it. Blind was furious and walked away with the cane. After a moment, they could hear him begin to beat a rooster. âWhatâs the use of having a small rooster that doesnât crow? If you donât crow, I will break your leg!â
âIs Grandpa Blind scolding the rooster or me?â
Qin Mu was puzzled. After a moment, the window opened and a bamboo cane with a broken rooster leg appeared at the window.
Qin Mu closed the window and went back to sit down on the edge of the bed. He muttered, âWe havenât met for quite a while.â
Ling Yuxiu burst out laughing. âYou are still bad with words. Iâm slightly sleepy, so I shall go to rest first.â
âOkay.â
Qin Mu saw her wormed under the blanket, until a small head popped out from under the big red blanket. Ling Yuxiu blinked at him. âIâm sleeping.â
âOkay.â
Ling Yuxiu gave a humph and turned to the other side.
Qin Mu also laid down and covered himself with the blanket. The two of them shared a pillow and looked each other in the face. Qin Mu didnât dare to breathe, and Ling Yuxiu burst out laughing, her breath fanning his face. It instantly reddened, and the girl quickly gave him a peck on the lips.
âSmells pretty nice.â Qin Mu blinked and said, âKiss again.â
Ling Yuxiu gave him another kiss, giggling.
âWhatâs the use of kissing?â
Blindâs impatient voice came from outside, slowly moving farther away. âLittle rooster canât crow so itâs better to stew it and eat⦠Eh? Emperor Yanfeng has caught up? Come to think of it, the emperor is now an in-law, so I canât be rude. I need to treat in-laws to a wedding feast, so I shall slaughter this rooster that doesnât crow to treat in-laws!â
Qin Mu heard him walking farther away and quickly left the bed. He went to the window and opened it sneakily. He stretched his head out to survey the surroundings, then waved to Ling Yuxiu, but she didnât come over.
He turned his head back and saw that the girl seemed to be really asleep.
Qin Mu went over carelessly and said quietly, âStop acting, quickly get up.â
Ling Yuxiuâs face flushed, and she immediately left from under the blanket. She put on her shoes and crawled out through the window while Qin Mu received her on the other side, bringing her down. The two of them sneaked along the wall to Si Yunxiangâs room. When they came to her window, Qin Mu asked quietly, âIs Sister Xiang asleep?â
âNot yet.â
Her voice came from behind, and Qin Mu jumped in shock. He swiftly turned back and saw her sneakily following behind him.
âWhen did you come out?â he asked in astonishment.
Si Yunxiang seemed to be smiling yet not smiling. âIâve sneaked out a long time ago and wanted to listen from the wall. But In the end, I just heard a little female cat in heat calling out yet there was no little male cat coming.â
Ling Yuxiu sneered and said, âSome female cats donât even have the right to call for a little male cat. Cowherd boy, letâs go and find the little fox?â
âLingâer has rebelled!â Qin Mu shook his head and said, âLetâs go now, not making any sound.â
âWhereâs Cult Master going?â The dragon qilin suddenly appeared behind them, shocking all three.
âTraitor!â Qin Mu gritted his teeth. âIf you still want to eat, donât be noisy or else we will have a dragon banquet for New Years!â
The dragon qilin shuddered and followed behind them softly. âGrandpa Blind is out; he said heâs inviting Emperor Yanfeng for a wedding feast. We can sneak out now.â
Qin Mu looked behind the dragon qilinâs butt and saw over a dozen flood dragons sneakily following after. He didnât know whether to laugh or cry. âIt might be unsafe leaving Lingâer here alone, whereâs she?â
The dragon qilin lowered his head, and a snow white fox showed up on his forehead, sleeping peacefully.
âGo! Go quickly! If the emperor is here, my head is really going to roll!â Qin Mu pulled onto the two girls and jumped on the back of the dragon qilin with all his strength. âDonât use the fire clouds, or else Grandpa Blind will see. His eyesight is very good! We shall leave the town secretly, without alerting anyone.â
The dragon qilin carried them out and headed south. After sprinting for a hundred miles, Qin Mu was finally at ease and said, âYou can now run with your full strength!â
The dragon qilin increased his speed and ran the whole night. He traveled three or four thousand miles, and Qin Mu smiled. âGrandpa Blindâs eyes shouldnât be able to see this far. Fatty Dragon, you can rest now⦠Surging River is right in front of us, so letâs go by the riverside to reach the east sea. We can then take a detour to the capital. Is Lingâer awake? Tie up the traitor!â
âSheâs still drunk.â
They came to the Surging River and were about to find a ship when they saw one sailing down from the center of the river. On its bow was an old blind man propping himself on a cane.
Qin Muâs face turned ashen.
âIâve chased Emperor Yanfeng all the way to Great Thunderclap Monastery,â Blind said calmly. âMuâer, Iâve been waiting for you guys for two hours and only now did you reach here, Iâm disappointed.â
Qin Mu was stunned, while the dragon qilin immediately shouted, âOld Master Blind, I knew you were here so I rushed over with all my might!â
Everyone could only board the ship which immediately sailed them to Great Ruins.
âWhen we are back at the village, it wonât be too late to host the two remaining weddings,â Blind said while beaming. âYesterday night I invited Emperor Yanfeng to eat chicken so he most likely agreed to the marriage.â
Qin Mu could already see himself being escorted to the market to be beheaded.
Suddenly, the river water became turbulent, and the current grew in speed. Qin Mu was slightly stunned. He hurriedly leaned over the side of the ship. He saw the water current suddenly turn back calm, but the water level grew higher and higher, until it gradually became as high as the trees and mountain on both sides of the river.
Ling Yuxiu ran to the bow while Si Yunxiang went to the aft to look upstream and downstream. Both of them were stunned by the sight, for they could see Surging River floating up from the river canal like a long jade ribbon.
More and more of the river water floated into the sky like a water dragon.
Everyone looked at it in a daze. The small ship sailed along the long river in the sky and looked numerous times smaller than before.