Lu Qianqiao, who had come laden with betrothal gifts, returned equally burdened—this time with numerous boxes carried by spirit beasts, all filled with mooncakes gifted by Xin Xiong. From perfectly round to haphazard shapes, they were piled up like a small mountain.
Though he wanted to say that even if they ate these mooncakes until next year, they wouldn’t finish them, the sight of Xin Xiong’s tearful, doting gaze made it impossible to refuse.
They say a cold and harsh father-in-law is a disaster, but an overly enthusiastic one doesn’t seem much better…
“The groom is leaving today—why hasn’t Xiao Mei come out yet?!”
Xin Xiong looked around furiously. Everyone else in the manor had come to see Lu Qianqiao off, yet the one who should have been here the most was absent. What kind of impression did that give? What if the groom got angry and decided to abandon her again?
The eldest senior sister squeezed through the crowd with difficulty and whispered, “Master, Xiao Mei says she’s too tired to see guests off. She also told me to pass a message to the general… She said… she’s running away from the wedding.”
“She’s already married—what’s there to run away from?!”
Frustrated beyond measure, Xin Xiong rushed to his daughter’s courtyard, only to find it empty. The silver notes in the bedside drawer had been taken, and a letter lay on the dressing table, scrawled in Xin Mei’s less-than-elegant handwriting:
[Gone for a stroll. Tell Lu Qianqiao—this lady doesn’t want him anymore!!!]
The letter slipped from his fingers, and Xin Xiong couldn’t help but weep. Having a daughter like this… truly was a disaster!
While the Sinister Clan descended into chaos, Xin Mei was riding on the back of the Fierce Cloud Colt, using her sleeve to wipe its tears.
For some reason, the moment she opened the stable doors, the horse had burst into tears. Behind it, the manor’s many handsome and beautiful stallions watched with a mix of reverence and lewdness.
“Did you not get along well?” Xin Mei wrung out her soaked sleeve, shook it dry, and continued wiping the horse’s tears.
At her words, the Fierce Cloud Colt cried even harder. Faced with Xin Mei… it seemed all it could do was silently shed tears.
“Let’s go to Esteemed Spirit Valley and bring some mooncakes for the Fox Immortal Lord.”
She had packed several boxes of mooncakes—perfect for visiting everyone she knew. Along the way, she could also see Zhang Dahu, just to let Lu Qianqiao know that the first man she had set her eyes on wasn’t him!
Terrified that she might change her mind and lock it back in the dark stable with those lecherous stallions, the Fierce Cloud Colt immediately galloped off, faster than the wind, soaring into the clouds in an instant. With its noble bloodline, it could ride the wind, moving several times faster than even Qiu Yue at full speed. A journey that usually took three or four days was completed in half a day.
Just past noon, the Fierce Cloud Colt landed gracefully at the entrance of Esteemed Spirit Valley. Xin Mei jumped off its back and, looking up, grinned—the guard at the gate was still Zhang Dahu!
“Da Huge.” She walked over with a bright smile, still unable to get enough of his stern yet handsome looks.
“Boss Xin.” Zhang Dahu bowed, his face reddening.
“Here’s a box of mooncakes for you.”
Without waiting for a response, she shoved a box into his hands, then flashed him a sweet smile before leading the Fierce Cloud Colt toward the valley entrance.
Zhang Dahu hurriedly blocked her path. “Boss Xin, the valley master… um, isn’t receiving guests today.”My father once said that cultivation sects often have secrets they don't want outsiders to know. Xin Mei nodded understandingly and handed two more boxes of mooncakes to Zhang Dahu. "Then please deliver these mooncakes to the Fox Immortal Lord as my humble offering to his venerable self."
As Zhang Dahu took them and was about to speak, a clear, melodious birdcall suddenly rang out from within the gates. The tightly shut main doors swung wide open, revealing a resplendent golden Long Carriage pulled by three or four Paradise Birds, slowly making its way out. The golden light on the carriage walls rippled like flowing water, eventually transforming into ancient script before dissipating in the wind.
The breeze lifted the white bamboo curtain covering the carriage window, and Xin Mei caught a fleeting glimpse of a young man dressed in black robes inside. In the blink of an eye, the carriage had flown far away.
"What a magnificent display! Which powerful immortal is that?" Xin Mei couldn't help but marvel as she watched the distant golden light shimmering.
Zhang Dahu shook his head. "That's the High Priest of the Youhu Clan. It's said the Youhu people have celestial bloodlines..."
"Little Mei, why didn't you let me know you were coming to visit?" Zhen Hongsheng's soft, charming voice interrupted him. Xin Mei turned to see him dressed in a black-and-white robe today, his long, unbound black hair cascading over his shoulders, making him look particularly... well, particularly radiant like a flower.
"Fox Immortal Lord, it's been a while." She smiled and bowed to him, taking the mooncakes from Zhang Dahu's hands to present them. "These are mooncakes made at our estate. Please enjoy them as a token of our appreciation."
Zhen Hongsheng's eyes immediately lit up. "Ah! Your father sent me some last year—the red bean paste ones were especially delicious. Come, let's go inside and talk."
Without waiting for her response, he took her hand with graceful elegance and led her into the valley.
Esteemed Spirit Valley was filled with swirling incense smoke, a stark contrast to its usual clear and refreshing atmosphere. Every ten steps, there was an incense burner on the ground, emitting the balanced and soothing scent of sandalwood, refreshing the spirit and calming all restlessness.
Noticing her gaze on the incense burners, Zhen Hongsheng smiled. "We have an esteemed guest visiting today. Burning incense is a custom of their people."
"The Youhu Clan?" She seemed to recall the name.
"Indeed. Not only do they have noble bloodlines, but they're also skilled in brewing. They've brought ten jars of fine wine this time. Since you're here, stay a few more days. I'll summon Meishan, and we can enjoy the wine together."
He led her to a small pavilion blooming with flowers, where a familiar middle-aged female attendant soon brought two cups of tea. Sitting beside her, he neither drank the tea nor spoke, instead holding her hand and examining it closely while occasionally stroking it.
Xin Mei felt goosebumps from his touch and finally asked, "Fox Immortal Lord, is there something wrong with my hand?"
Last time she visited, he had also held her hand and scrutinized it intently. Could there be some treasure hidden in it?
Zhen Hongsheng lifted his gaze from her palm lines and gave her a bewitching smile. "Nothing at all. Little Mei... you've been married to the War Fiend General for quite some time now. Why haven't you consummated the marriage yet?"
Xin Mei was stunned. "How do you know?!"
He stroked the white fox curled around his neck and smiled coquettishly. "I am the Fox Immortal Lord, after all—of course I know. It seems he hasn't treated you well. Why not leave him and choose another man? How about I give you Zhang Dahu?"Xin Mei looked at him with a troubled expression. These immortals were truly inscrutable—first, he had been the one who firmly refused to send his own disciples, and now he was here disrupting her marriage plans. She couldn’t fathom what they were thinking.
“How about choosing Meishan? He’s quite fond of you.”
She was utterly exasperated: “Lord Meishan is older than my great-grandfather!”
...Hmm, fortunately, Meishan wasn’t here today, or Esteemed Spirit Valley would have been flooded by his tears.
Zhen Hongsheng picked up his teacup and took a slow sip, steam curling around him as his gaze drifted to some distant place. Having been an immortal for many, many years, he had never concerned himself with the karmic ties of this world—never intervened, letting them gather and scatter like mist, disperse and reunite again.
Immortals had no use for attachments, so in many matters, he stopped at just the right point.
“Fox Immortal Lord, this one has red bean paste filling.”
Xin Mei broke open a mooncake and placed it in his palm with a bright smile.
Zhen Hongsheng chuckled, weighing the red bean paste mooncake in his hand before taking a small bite. It was fragrant and sweet, a flavor that lifted his spirits.
“Little Mei,” he cleared his throat, adopting a serious tone, “live your life well. Eat when you’re hungry, drink when you’re thirsty, sleep when you’re tired. And if you encounter danger—”
He raised an eyebrow. “Remember to run.”
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