Chapter 260 Mirror Flower, Water Moon "Qiu Tong, you're getting married."...

Bi Sheng turned and walked into the main hall, gesturing for the followers behind him to come forward and light the red candles. The soft glow illuminated the red silk and gauze in the room.

As the curtains were drawn back, she looked out the window. Her beautiful, aloof face remained calm and composed, as if she were waiting for something, showing no displeasure at their earlier attitude.

She didn't get along well with Qi Chen and Banshan. However, when the Secret Sect was first established, it was a time when it needed to expand and recruit more people. At that time, the two of them were well-known great cultivators, let alone now, their strength should not be underestimated.

The stronger the cultivator, the less they crave. They don't want money or fame. If it weren't for certain fortuitous circumstances, she might not have been able to recruit them. Without the original Nine Swords, the Secret Sect could not have grown to its current size.

Similarly, the less the strong desire, the deeper their obsession becomes. As long as the Dao Lord is around, they cannot truly do as they please. Therefore, she does not care about their occasional baring of fangs and claws, nor does she force them to do so.

After all, not everyone can understand her or the Dao Lord; they only need to obey orders.

She waited quietly by the window. After a few moments, another figure suddenly appeared in the room. He twirled the whisk in his hand, looked around the room, and then spoke directly.

"I remember telling you how the wedding banquet should be decorated."

It was just a small wooden hut with a few stone tables in the front yard and even a fence around it, completely different from what he had described earlier.

Bi Sheng turned around, her gaze quickly sweeping over Zhang Chunhe before walking outside: "I know, we'll take care of the wedding banquet arrangements. You just need to entertain the guests. The red silk and wedding favors are already prepared, so what's the difficulty?"

She walked into the courtyard, and everyone else looked at her. Zhang Chunhe didn't care and just followed her leisurely. When he stepped out of the house, he seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up at the roof.

There stood a masked monk. He had previously heard Ji Changying say that a new person had joined the Nine Swords, chosen by the Holy Maiden. This person had no name, but was referred to by a number, and was called the Ninth.

He watched the figure slowly, and then, as if thinking of something, he sighed slightly, withdrew his gaze, and looked ahead again.

Bi Sheng stood in the courtyard, raising her palms to form a seal. Countless faint purple lights burst forth from her palms, as fine and resilient as spider silk, swaying and connecting the outline of the sky and the edge of the earth, before quickly merging with them and disappearing from sight.

Fu Yin was shocked and stood up, saying, "Holy Maiden, what is this...?"

Bi Sheng said calmly, "I made a deal with Elder Chen, exchanging one person for this secret realm. Now, it is in my hands."

She glanced at Zhang Chunhe and raised her eyebrows, saying, "Chief Zhang, the reason I asked you to hold the wedding banquet here is because I didn't want to trouble you. In this secluded realm where you can do whatever you want, there's nothing that can't be fabricated."

Suddenly, a purple light shone within the secret realm, and the color of the steep and majestic mountain beneath their feet gradually faded, as if water had been splashed on it, making everything hazy and indistinct.

A gust of wind suddenly arose from all around, its blades slicing away half of the mountain rocks before them like sharp scissors, grinding out stone steps, and adding clusters of red maples.

Through such modifications and tailoring, the old wooden house was transformed into a large mansion with three courtyards and three entrances, located halfway up the mountain. Maple trees were planted all around, and a red ribbon appeared out of nowhere, starting from the front door and extending down the stone steps to the last step at the foot of the mountain.

In just a few breaths, the place had been completely transformed, and even the esoteric Buddhist disciples who were busy here had changed their attire.

"Chief Zhang, are you satisfied with this?"

Zhang Chunhe looked around, his probing gaze slowly landing on her, but he didn't say much, only saying, "Indeed, they are the same."

"That's fine." Bi Sheng turned to look at the horizon and said softly, "Chief Zhang, it seems the person you invited has arrived. In that case, I will take my leave for now."

She left with only a few people, while the rest of them went about their own business as previously agreed.

A rift was opened in the secret realm, and five figures entered from the outside, flying in.

"The chief!"

The group saw Zhang Chunhe standing at the foot of the mountain from afar, so they flew down on their swords. The embroidered silk robes they wore shone brightly in the sunlight, and their color and style were largely the same as those worn by Zhang Chunhe.

These clothes were indeed a gift from him.

Several men dismounted, removed their swords, and bowed to Zhang Chunhe, who was waiting there. They gathered together, and one of them, a Taoist with long eyebrows, spoke.

"We rushed here as soon as we received the invitation, so we were inevitably a bit rushed. Wasn't it originally scheduled for the end of spring? Why was it moved up by a month?"

Standing at the foot of the mountain, Zhang Chunhe smiled upon hearing this, casually draped his whisk over his left arm, and gestured for the group to step onto the red silk and walk up the stone steps.

The two children are a bit impatient, and after thinking it over, we felt it would be better to do it sooner, so we decided to move it to today.

Since it's the transition from late winter to early spring, and it's considered a good omen, I didn't refuse. However, I was in too much of a rush to send out invitations widely, so I only invited a few of you to witness this. The feast is simple; please don't mind.

Another fat Taoist priest shook his head and smiled: "What's this talk about simplicity or rudimentary style? Those who cultivate the Tao do not indulge in the desires of the palate."

He seemed closer to Zhang Chunhe, so he spoke more directly, glancing at him before continuing.

"My disciple is newly married, which should be a joyous occasion, so why do you not seem to be very happy?"

Zhang Chunhe smiled calmly, stepped onto the stone steps, and said half-jokingly, "If your disciple were to have such a grand wedding, would you still be able to laugh?"

The other five elders exchanged glances, then shook their heads and sighed knowingly, "If it were us, such an excellent disciple who hadn't understood matters of the heart and had gone down the mountain to get married would probably be filled with deep regret."

"The head of the household is truly magnanimous; he's even willing to arrange their wedding banquet."

Zhang Chunhe looked up and saw that the mansion was located halfway up the mountain. It had no plaque or gold decoration, but it looked very warm and comfortable.

At the same time, they are also very familiar with each other.

He withdrew his gaze and said only, "It's not that I have a broad mind. I tried to stop them, but it was to no avail. Instead, I became the villain who broke up their marriage. How could I possibly go against that? Since they want to get married, then so be it."

The others chuckled bitterly a few times, and finally just sighed. The long-browed Taoist said, "We heard earlier that he was in love with Qiu Tong and broke off his engagement with Lin Feiran. We felt something was wrong then, but we didn't expect it to come to this."

"Everyone's gone down the mountain. The sect's grand assembly is in May. Who will the sect send to fight?"

The fat Taoist waved his hand: "The matter of Xueyun is still unresolved, and the cold disease is raging in many places. I'm afraid the sect conference can't be held."

The group changed the subject again, moving from the wedding banquet to the eerie snow cloud, their expressions showing little relief.

Halfway up the mountain, the red maple leaves were vibrant and rustling in a gentle breeze, looking like a wave of fire from afar.

After admiring the scenery for a while, the fat Taoist couldn't help but exclaim, "The scenery here is indeed beautiful, making one linger. No wonder Changzai and that fox-girl were willing to live in seclusion here. Who are these people sweeping and cleaning?"

Zhang Chunhe glanced at the disciples of the secret sect, then looked away and said to them seriously, "Qiu Tong is a fox clan member after all, and her status is different. This is another reason why I didn't post anything."

Although peace has been maintained between the two clans for a long time, they are not yet very close. These are all members of the fox clan, and to avoid any unforeseen circumstances, please remember not to engage in overly intimate conversations with them.

Zhang Chunhe also had concerns. The teachings of Tantric Buddhism were too seductive, and the practitioners liked to spread their doctrines everywhere. He didn't want these weak-willed fellow practitioners to start advocating Tantric Buddhism after a wedding banquet.

The others, unaware of his true intentions, assumed he was afraid they would quarrel and disrupt the wedding banquet, so they all nodded in agreement: "Rest assured, Your Excellency, today's events are special, and we will not cause any trouble."

They followed Zhang Chunhe into the house, but before they could even cross the threshold, they were pushed aside by several people who rushed up behind them. They frowned and looked at them, asking, "Who are these people?"

Zhang Chunhe looked ahead and said, "Them? They are Qiu Tong's parents and siblings, who have come here today to attend the wedding banquet."

The long-browed Taoist paused, exchanged glances with the others, and, having already promised not to cause trouble, had no choice but to suppress his anger upon hearing that she was a relative. He forced a smile and said, "I see. Today they are the host family, so it is only right that they are in a hurry. Please come in, please come in."

As the group stepped through the gate, they were greeted by a delightful and refreshing new look.

Wisteria swayed in the courtyard, and the green glazed tiles reflected the sunlight. A wooden swing sat leisurely in the corner, and a row of red lacquered round tables were arranged. Many servants of the "fox clan" were busy tidying up and leading the guests to their seats. On a high platform to the side, a musician was tuning his zither, and the melodious music kept playing.

Everyone, regardless of who they were, wore expressions of joy.

"It seems that the wedding banquets of the demon race are not much different from those of the human race." The fat Taoist was infected by the atmosphere, smiled and said with relief, "Well, it is a pity that Chang stopped at the point of achieving harmony between heaven and man, but who can say that this is not another kind of happiness?"

Please take your seats.

The group stepped forward and were quickly identified by the arriving servants, who then led them to their respective seats.

Zhang Chunhe's face was no longer smiling. He stood at the gate of the house, looking at the bustling atmosphere, and his eyes gradually calmed down.

...

A constant clanging and banging noise came from my ears, as if someone was running around and knocking on things.

Unable to bear the disturbance any longer, Qiu Tong finally opened her eyes.

She remembered that she was in Zhang Chunhe's secret realm, trying to recall the Tai'a Sword, but before she could succeed, she was suddenly knocked unconscious by a single blow, and when she opened her eyes again, she was here.

She tried to sit up, but found that her hands were bound and she could not move. While cursing inwardly, she glanced around at her surroundings.

As she looked around, a sudden sense of familiarity washed over her, as if she had been here before.

Just as she was pondering where she was, the person outside seemed to hear her movement and immediately pushed open the door and entered. Their footsteps on the wooden floor were light and heavy, a rhythm she was very familiar with.

Qiu Tong calmed down, her lips slightly parted, and stared blankly at the outside room. Although the person had not yet appeared, her long reflection was already cast on the floor: a pink dress, a lacquered wooden cane, and a limp left leg.

The next moment, the person finally lifted the beaded curtain and entered the inner room. She looked at Qiu Tong with a silent emotion and joy on her face.

"Qiu Tong, you're getting married," she said.

Qiu Tong looked up and down at the person in front of her as if struck by lightning, then peered outside, even stammering, "Su Dan! That old thief captured you too?!"

Su Dan was her good friend in the fox clan. The two had grown up together since childhood, but she was implicated in the chaos of the fox clan and injured her left leg, which left her unable to walk properly.

But the chaos within the fox clan had long been suppressed, and she shouldn't be lame anymore. Before Su Dan could answer, Qiu Tong asked again, "Why is your leg still injured?"

Su Dan asked in confusion, "What old thief? My leg has always been like this, hasn't it? Qiu Tong, are you so happy about marrying him today that you've lost your mind?"

She chuckled twice, leaning on her cane as she walked to the bedside: "Look at you, still sleeping on your wedding day. If I hadn't thought of coming to see you, you probably would have forgotten to even wear your wedding dress."

Qiu Tong was still staring at her in a daze. She turned her head to look around again and suddenly remembered that the reason this room was familiar was because it was her house!

After they fell in love, Wei Chang and his wife chose to live in seclusion in Qingqiu for the time being. Instead of living in the main city, they built a mansion on Fangcao Mountain on the east side of Qingqiu to use as their wedding venue.

She arranged all the furnishings in the mansion, but later the two of them went on a trip and rarely returned here, so her memories of the side room became quite vague.

Upon closer inspection today, this place is clearly that mansion, but she and Consort Wei were not yet engaged, let alone building it together, so where did this house come from!

Qiu Tong's heart was pounding, and her complexion was not good. Su Dan didn't quite understand her expression at the moment, and thought that she was just too happy. She clapped her hands, and several servants filed in, some carrying wedding clothes and others carrying makeup boxes.

"Look at you, you're so nervous."

Sudan stood up, took her hand, and led her to sit on a wooden chair. The clear, bronze-colored mirror in front of her reflected her bewildered and confused expression.

In her previous life, when Tong Wei was married, Su Dan helped her with her grooming and saw her off. The servants around her were all handpicked by her mother, and their makeup and dressing skills were among the best in the tribe.

This is clearly the scene from her wedding day!

Qiu Tong seemed to have finally found her voice, and she immediately asked, "Su Dan, did Zhang Chunhe bring you here? I heard that my mother fell ill. How is she now?"

Su Dan adjusted the tassels on her wedding dress, then turned to look at her: "What are you talking about? Nonsense. I don't know any Zhang Chunhe, and your mother is in good health. She's greeting guests in the hall right now."

What exactly happened? Did she not actually get reborn, but just have a dream?

As this strange thought crossed her mind, Qiu Tong remembered something and immediately looked down. The long rope that had bound her was still intact, which meant that the fact that she had been imprisoned by Zhang Chunhe was not a lie.

Yes, he had attended the wedding banquet before and had seen this mansion, so he naturally knew this place very well and was able to create such an illusion!

She looked up at Su Dan and raised her hand: "Su Dan, don't ask any more questions. While no one is watching, quickly untie this long rope for me. Aren't you good at this?"

Su Dan blinked at her, then looked down at her wrist, tilted her head slightly, and smiled at her: "Qiu Tong, you don't have anything on your hands. Stop fooling around, or you'll miss the auspicious time. Come on, let me comb your hair."

Qiu Tong looked at her in disbelief. Just as she was about to get up and say something, Su Dan put her arm around her shoulder and gently pressed her back down. She clearly didn't use much force, but Qiu Tong felt as if a mountain was pressing down on her shoulder, making it impossible for her to move.

This is not a sultan.

Amidst her frantic heartbeat, a voice told her this. She let the person behind her comb her long hair, and cautiously looked into the mirror, only to be caught off guard and meet the gaze of Su Dan in the mirror, who then smiled at her.

The last time Qiu Tong saw such a bizarre scene was in Chuncheng, but back then many cultivators were in the same situation as her, so she didn't find it terrifying. But now she was all alone, and a thin layer of sweat had seeped out on her forehead.

When did Zhang Chunhe, that old scoundrel, become such a sinister person? He actually resorted to such methods to force her into marriage!

She cursed inwardly as she pressed down her slightly trembling hand.

After much thought, Qiu Tong, though not understanding the reason behind it, vaguely sensed that such a display of force must have a grand scheme behind it, and she could not remain in this illusion, allowing herself to be slaughtered.

At this critical moment, she suddenly remembered something from the past.

After Wei Chang broke through to the Free Realm, he encountered a great calamity.

At that time, the two had already developed feelings for each other, but had not yet truly expressed their feelings. Many teachers and elders saw through the situation and, not allowing the two to express their affection, forced Wei Changzai to banish her back to the demon realm.

In order to get him to settle down and give up this idea, Daohe Palace's master assigned him a mission to go to Saigo.

Wei Chang accidentally stumbled into a secret realm during this mission, and was severely injured. When he returned to Sanqing Mountain, he was delirious and his bones were all broken. He was on the verge of death, and many teachers and elders began to treat him, but the news was kept very secret.

At that time, Qiu Tong was unaware of the truth and only thought that Wei Changzai disliked her and wanted to force her away, so she returned to Qingqiu in a fit of anger.

But the more he thought about it after returning home, the angrier he became, so he went back to Sanqing Mountain to have a talk with him.

That day, she didn't see Wei Changzai, but instead saw Zhang Chunhe with a cold expression, and several elders with furrowed brows and pursed lips.

"Qiu Tong, don't stay here. Changzai doesn't want to see you, so why did you come after him? He only wants to focus on his cultivation and has no feelings for love. He just didn't want to hurt you, so he didn't say it outright."

He told you not to contact him again, to cut all ties completely, and for us to go our separate ways.

At that time, Qiu Tong did not believe it. Although her heart was breaking, she still wanted to see Wei Changzai and ask him for an explanation. Zhang Chunhe was also having a headache at the time, so he simply locked her in that "sleeve space".

Amidst the vast expanse of snow, she possessed only the Tai'a sword, which she had not yet fully mastered.

Zhang Chunhe looked at her and said gently.

"Everyone has times when they are alone, Qiu Tong. You never cared about this before. In times of crisis, Chang Zai and your father always helped you. I'm curious, how will you get out of danger now? Being with him isn't something you can do just because you like him."

At that time, she was completely in sync with the Tai'a Sword in the snow, which allowed her to find a way out.

In this illusion today, can't she not be?

She had underestimated him, thinking that the Tai'a sword was already hers, her destiny, which is why she focused all her attention on Wei Changzai and forgot that she was connected to him.

In her previous life, when she obtained the Tai'a Sword, she wanted to sleep with it.

She closed her eyes, and her turbulent mind gradually calmed down. She tried to ignore the people around her who were dressing her up, and began to guard the altar, trying to find the connection between the sword master and the sword.

In the vast expanse of the altar, a glimmer of blue light suddenly appeared.

...

"The newlyweds have arrived!"

Qiu Tong was led by the shoulder to the foot of the mountain. She looked at the mountain in front of her in surprise. It was exactly the same as Fangcao Mountain in Qingqiu. Even the red silk draped down from the mountainside was the same.

She was now almost certain that this was an illusion created to resemble her wedding banquet in her previous life.

She looked in this direction, secretly clenching the side of her skirt, her eyes gradually turning cold.

On the other side, Consort Wei, dressed in wedding attire, also appeared.

Author's Note: Actually, Wei Changzai (the heartwarming version) and Qiu Tong follow classic sweet romance novel tropes, like "You love me, I don't love you, I'll kick you out," but I won't say why, leading to all sorts of misunderstandings (X).

P.S.: I saw some readers saying they haven't followed many long novels, but they've still made it this far. I'm truly grateful to every reader who's been willing to follow along [pity]. This is also my first time writing such a long novel. I've only written two books before, and the combined word count isn't even this long. I don't have much experience with long novels, so I'm learning as I go. I never dreamed I'd write such a long novel, or that there would be so many characters in one book...

Actually, there was a really tough time in the middle, and I even thought about cutting the outline. But when I opened the document and saw them, I couldn't bear to give them up. I thought that even if no one reads it, even if it's not a mainstream theme or a mainstream character design, I still want to finish writing it properly. I've actually managed to write it this far despite stopping and starting.

I feel like it's a kind of spiritual practice for me. Now that I've come this far, I no longer feel that kind of hardship. I don't care about other things anymore. What I want to do more is to write the story well and make it exciting (within my personal level TT), and then give everyone an ending that belongs to them.

Whether you've given up on the story or not, whether you're following it or not, I'm incredibly grateful that you've been willing to read this far and follow it for so long... [pity]