At the mountain gate, the youth in blue robes stained with blood carried an Immortal Sword on his back.
Disciples descending from Hengyang Immortal Mountain whispered among themselves: "He's still here. Doesn't he know everyone despises him? What's wrong with the enforcement senior brother? Why hasn't he thrown him out of the mountain gate?"
Another said: "Even if we drive him away, he'll reappear here soon enough."
"Is he still deluded enough to think he can see Fairy Yuling? Doesn't he know that in a few days, Yuling will be marrying Senior Brother Fuyai?"
As these words fell, Cang Jiumin—who had remained unresponsive and refused to fight back no matter what—suddenly appeared beside the disciple, grabbing his collar: "What did you say!"
The male disciple flinched momentarily under his approach, but remembering how severely Su Su had been injured when she returned from Penglai, he found it difficult to show any kindness.
"I said Yuling and Yue Fuyai are getting married. If you have any self-awareness left, crawl back to your Penglai and stop defiling this place."
Cang Jiumin's fingers tightened, his gaze cold and dark.
Just as the Hengyang disciples braced for a fight, he suddenly released the disciple and walked away without a word.
When Yaoguang arrived in the afternoon and found no one at the mountain gate, she asked a nearby disciple: "Where is he?"
The disciple replied: "He left this morning after hearing about Su Su's marriage. Probably finally gave up."
Yaoguang sighed inwardly, glancing toward the mountain gate: "Perhaps it's for the best."
Once Su Su's condition stabilized, the sect leader would surely demand answers from Dongmu. There might even be a fierce battle between Hengyang and Dongmu. As the son of the East Wing Master, Cang Jiumin and Su Su were never meant to be.
On her way back, she encountered Yue Fuyai.
Yaoguang glanced at the wedding dress in his hands: "For Su Su?"
Yue Fuyai: "Mm."
He lowered his gaze, his usually peculiar expression softening slightly as he looked at the wedding dress.
Yaoguang said: "I thought you weren't willing."
The tips of Yue Fuyai's ears reddened as he replied succinctly: "Not true."
Yaoguang smiled: "Take good care of Su Su from now on."
By now, everyone in Hengyang except Su Su knew Yue Fuyai would become her Dao Companion. Even Qu Xuanzi had tacitly approved. Su Su's safety mattered most to Qu Xuanzi.
For Yue Fuyai, however, Su Su's condition required him—as the giving party—to expend substantial Cultivation to nourish her warmth.
Though called Dual Cultivation, it actually meant mending her life soul and transferring his Cultivation to her, potentially hindering his own progress.
Yaoguang had worried Yue Fuyai might resent this, but he treated it as honey-sweet. Since he himself felt no bitterness or reluctance, Yaoguang smiled—Junior Sister Su Su would surely be happy.
The nightmare demon hugged its glass beads, heart withered in despair. It had exhausted immense effort during dream-weaving to remove the Demon Lord's rival Gongye Jiewu, but forgot about Yue Fuyai's existence.
Speaking of which, where had the Demon Lord gone?
Su Su only learned about the marriage the day before the wedding.
Yaoguang feared she might cry or protest, but the young maiden sat by the window for a long time, gazing blankly at the playful spirit birds outside.
After a while, she asked: "Is Fuyai willing?"
Yaoguang quickly nodded: "Then... what about you?"
Su Su's lips were pale as she smiled: "He's doing this to save me. Why would I be unwilling? I just hate to wrong him."
Yaoguang whispered: "I thought... you still missed Cang Jiumin."
As soon as she spoke, Yaoguang knew she'd said something inappropriate and hurriedly added: "I didn't mean it that way..."
Su Su lowered her eyes and shook her head.Yaoguang couldn't help but ask, "Do you like Yue Fuyai?"
Becoming Dao Companions was different from mortal marriages. On the wedding day, they would fuse a drop of their heart's blood into each other's Immortal Souls. For thousands of years thereafter, they would share glory and suffer together.
This was more binding than any mortal vow.
Su Su said, "I don't know."
She pressed a hand to her chest—it felt hollow, like a closed door. She couldn't comprehend such emotions. Even when Yaoguang mentioned "liking," in her world, it was just a word without any meaning.
What was liking? What did it feel like? Naturally, she liked Yue Fuyai, but was it truly the emotion Yaoguang spoke of?
Su Su thought of another person. Why had she felt so heartbroken when she saw Cang Jiumin hurt her under the Three Soul Banners of Penglai?
The next day, Su Su put on her wedding dress, and the entire Hengyang was decorated festively.
Nine immortal deer waited early at Changze Mountain.
As Su Su was helped onto the immortal carriage, her expression briefly grew dazed.
Surrounded by passing auspicious clouds, the immortal carriage slowly flew from the skies of Changze into the main hall of Hengyang.
She saw someone standing there waiting for her—it was Fuyai.
He looked up, his gaze fixed intently on her.
In that moment, Su Su had the illusion that he had been waiting for her here for a very long time.
The moment he saw her, a faint smile flickered in his dark pupils, inexplicably intense to Su Su.
Yue Fuyai came forward to greet her. The moment their fingers touched, Su Su felt a strange sensation—the young man's hand was ice-cold.
Yue Fuyai practiced a sword art of utmost purity and strength—how could his body temperature be so cold?
Yet it was undoubtedly Fuyai's face.
Su Su told herself not to overthink it. Qu Xuanzi was also present; the union ceremony couldn't possibly go wrong.
Her damaged soul left her body weak, and she stumbled slightly. He paused with her and said softly, "Be careful."
He held her hand, and a steady stream of gentle Spiritual Power flowed into her. Su Su instantly felt relieved.
Throughout the ceremony, Su Su felt her thoughts drifting, but the person beside her was solemn and earnest.
When his finger touched her brow, and a drop of his heart's blood entered her consciousness, she looked up at him in a daze. He gently stroked her cheek, lowered his head, and guided her hand to his brow.
"Su Su," he said hoarsely, "it's your turn."
She bit her lip, noticing everyone watching her. After a moment, she hesitantly let a drop of her heart's blood enter his consciousness.
For Cultivators, the fusion of spiritual consciousness was far more sensitive than physical contact.
The moment their spiritual consciousness connected, a strange sensation surged through her.
She stepped back in panic, covering her brow, her cheeks flushing uncontrollably.
Her slightly shy and uneasy demeanor deepened the smile in his eyes.
Su Su didn't know how she managed to endure until the ceremony ended.
Since ancient times, the ceremony of becoming Dao Companions was also called Spirit Union. When one's heart's blood touched the other's consciousness, they could feel the other's love for them.
Su Su felt her heart's blood like a tiny fish, abruptly touching a vast and terrifying sea of purgatory.
The faintly sensed love left her startled and bewildered.
Hadn't Fuyai... also saved her? If there was some affection, Su Su believed it, but when had his love become like a desolate Purgatory, clinging desperately?
Su Su didn't notice the man beside her withdrawing his hand, his gaze tinged with faint gloom and darkness.
He, too, could feel Su Su's love.
An empty, white consciousness...
There was nothing at all.His pause and somber demeanor lasted only a moment before a pure smile returned to his face.
Su Su returned to the immortal palace. She should have been contemplating how to interact with Yue Fuyai, but the moment she touched the bed, she fell asleep.
With her life soul now incomplete, enduring until this point had truly been difficult.
Not long after she fell asleep, a man in red wedding robes entered. Someone nervously bowed and reported, "Immortal Lord, the Fairy has fallen asleep."
The man showed no displeasure and said gently, "Understood. You may leave. I will take care of her."
He walked around the screen embroidered with cranes and saw her delicate face deep in slumber.
The gentleness on his face vanished, his gaze turning cold like a bottomless, stagnant pool. He buried his face in her neck, like a venomous snake coiling around her, coldly flicking its tongue.
Yet in the end, despite his terrifyingly ferocious expression, only a light kiss landed on her cheek.
Su Su slept for several more days.
When she opened her eyes and sat up in bed, she looked down at her clothes—they had already been changed.
The bright red wedding robes had been replaced by a light purple heavenly silk dress, its skirt flowing open with fine, shimmering light. A delicate tassel adorned her slender waist, making this attire even more exquisite and beautiful than her previous outfits.
Su Su played with the tassel as she walked out.
Not seeing Yue Fuyai, she asked a disciple cleaning the hall, "Where is the Immortal Lord?"
The disciple replied, "You're awake! The Immortal Lord is at the back mountain. He instructed that if you woke, you must drink this."
A jade bottle appeared in Su Su’s hand.
She opened it, and a subtle fragrance wafted out—it was actually Drunken Poplar Dew. This substance was said to exist only among the South Sea's Heaven-Swallowing Whales, capable of nourishing the soul, but they were notoriously violent and stingy. How had Yue Fuyai obtained this?
Su Su went to the back mountain and caught a faint scent of blood.
She sniffed again, but it seemed to have vanished.
Yue Fuyai emerged from the forest, holding a miniature rabbit. Seeing her, he paused and smiled, "Su Su."
Su Su stroked the rabbit. "Is this for me?"
"Mm." He gently touched her hair, his formerly rigid tone striving to soften. "It can keep you company when I go to eliminate demons. Why have you come out?"
"I came to find you." Su Su rubbed her sleepy eyes. "Fuyai, did you go to the South Sea and fight the Heaven-Swallowing Whales?"
"No," he said. "Why would I go to the South Sea and stir up trouble? The Drunken Poplar Dew was something I obtained by chance during my past travels. It's cold outside, and your immortal body is unstable now—you might fall ill. Let me take you back."
Su Su watched him for a moment, then reached out her hand and smiled. "Carry me on your back."
His lips curved, this time much more genuinely, laughter spreading layer by layer in his eyes. He crouched down in front of Su Su.
Su Su lay on his back. Being so close, she discreetly sniffed near his neck.
The scent of blood, mixed with the crisp fragrance of pine and cypress... faint and elusive.
He was lying. Not only had he gone to the South Sea, but he must have killed many Heaven-Swallowing Whales to gather that bottle of Drunken Poplar Dew.
He himself was injured, which was why he had hidden in the back mountain instead of returning to the immortal palace immediately.
A strange ripple stirred in Su Su’s heart, making her somewhat uncomfortable.
She stared blankly at the man’s profile for a long while, then gently reached out and touched his face.
His steps abruptly halted as he turned to look at her.
Before she could withdraw her hand, their eyes met directly.
"What are you doing?" he asked hoarsely.Su Su didn't know why either—she simply acted on impulse. His reaction vaguely overlapped with that of the person from the apricot grove on Penglai Immortal Island.
As she was about to observe him more closely, he lowered his head and spoke with a hint of laughter in his tone: "Even if you want to... we should return to the hall first."
Understanding his implication, Su Su retorted angrily: "Nonsense!"
It wasn't until he placed her on the bed that she spoke again.
Su Su held his hand and said earnestly: "I mean it—you really don't have to do this. I don't want to hold you back. Helping me... will damage your Cultivation."
He knelt down, gazing into her eyes while holding her hand: "I'm willing."
Su Su shook her head, staring at her slender fingers enveloped by his: "Fuyai, do you remember the wooden box I gave you the year you became my disciple? I'd like to see it."
The man's body stiffened slightly before he replied: "I lost it during a mission assigned by our teacher some time ago. My apologies."
Su Su raised her eyes and studied him for a long moment. Just as his gentle mask was about to crack, she finally said: "It's fine. It wasn't anything important. No matter if it's lost."
"I'll never lose anything you give me again," he murmured softly.
Su Su hummed in acknowledgment, resting her chin on his shoulder: "Fuyai, what's that scent on you? I've never noticed this fragrance on you before."
He replied indifferently: "I accidentally picked it up in the back mountains."
Quite composed, aren't you, Cang Jiumin, Su Su thought to herself.
Since Yue Fuyai's soul lamp remained lit, it proved the real Yue Fuyai was unharmed—likely trapped by Cang Jiumin.
Su Su had originally intended to wait for him to reveal his true colors, but she never expected Cang Jiumin to genuinely strive to imitate Yue Fuyai.
Yue Fuyai's daily habits, his manner of speaking, completing sect missions—even the Hengyang Sword Style—Cang Jiumin mastered them all at first glance.
Once, Su Su saw him at the hall entrance, speaking gently with lowered eyes to disciples within the sect.
She knew Cang Jiumin would normally disdain such behavior.
Yet he willingly became another person's shadow, imitating him, meticulously attending to her needs every dawn and dusk.
Remembering the blazing affection in his Divine Sense, she momentarily lost herself in thought.
So when he turned around, Su Su didn't even know what she was thinking—she simply smiled at him instinctively.
In the next instant, she saw starlight ignite within those pitch-black eyes.
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