Chapter 80 The Bride Kidnapping

Spring had arrived, and all things were beginning to revive, when a sudden cold snap caught everyone off guard.

The snow fell for a day and a night, covering the world in a blanket of white.

Chu Jianshan hugged his large coat tightly, quietly watching the snow scene outside. The stove next to him was burning brightly, bringing a touch of warmth.

"Has no word come from Changjin Mountain yet?"

Bai Qianfan walked to the window, facing Chu Jianshan.

Chu Jianshan shook his head. "There's still no news."

Bai Qianfan was silent for a moment, then asked, "Was there something wrong with the letter, and it wasn't delivered to Ji Shi at all?"

“Impossible,” Chu Jianshan replied, “I added spiritual power to that letter. If it were damaged, I would be the first to know.”

“That is…” Bai Qianfan hesitated before speaking.

"Ji Shi saw the letter," Chu Jianshan continued, "but he didn't intend to offer any assistance."

"Impossible!" Lin Mumu suddenly appeared out of nowhere: "We both know Ji Shi's character. How could he just stand by and watch us be isolated and helpless?"

Chu Jianshan nodded. "I understand, which is why I'm even more afraid. Is there some reason we don't know about?"

Bai Qianfan said, "I would prefer that it was Ji Shi's idea, at least it shows that he is indeed more mature than before."

"This matter was not good for Changjinshan in the first place, and it is reasonable not to reply in order to avoid losing both the wife and the army."

Chu Jianshan took off the large open door, walked out into the cold wind, and asked, "What do the other sects think?"

Lin Mumu replied, "Apart from Shaoxuan Sect, most sects have not responded directly. They are only sending a few people because of your previous reputation as an Immortal Venerable. There are still some cultivators in Qingyao City who are under my command and can be dispatched by you when the time comes."

Chu Jianshan nodded: "Just as I expected. However, with the wedding of the Lord of Linyi Sect, Linyi Sect will definitely force them to attend. They are a bunch of opportunists. As long as we do things smoothly, they will most likely follow suit and turn against us."

Bai Qianfan: "Is everything arranged?"

"It's all arranged," Chu Jianshan said.

Looking up, I saw scattered snowflakes drifting across the gray sky, with no sunlight in sight.

"We're just waiting for our wedding day."

...

"Hey! Be careful! These are all carefully cultivated premium varieties!"

"The gifts from each family are first placed in the warehouse, waiting to be counted."

"Make sure it's laid flat! We absolutely mustn't let the master trip over it!"

A red carpet that seemed to stretch endlessly covered all the stone steps of Linyi Gate. The snowflakes that had just landed on the steps were swept away before they could even melt.

"Honestly, what kind of day did they pick!" A sweeping maid muttered under her breath, "It's not an auspicious day, and it's snowing so heavily. They're just deliberately making things difficult for us!"

"Hey! What are you saying!" The steward walked over and pinched the little girl's arm. "How dare you speak ill of your master! You've got a death wish!"

"Get out of here right now!"

The maid lowered her head, not daring to speak, and left dejectedly.

The moment she turned her head, the steward looked around, and when no one was around, he secretly placed a special talisman under the red carpet and left.

Inside the room, red wedding paper was pasted all over the windows. The maids were all smiles as they dressed up the bride, praising Ji Ziyan for her good looks and good fortune, saying that she would surely have a glorious future.

The bright red lipstick outlined her perfect lips, making her already alluring face even more beautiful. It was just a pity that such a beautiful bride had a horrifying scar on her face.

The maids tacitly kept quiet about it, but kept applying powder to the scar in an attempt to cover it up.

"No need," Ji Ziyan raised her hand to stop her. "Just leave it there."

"But..." the maid tried to dissuade her, "Today is your wedding day, don't all brides want to look beautiful?"

"Does having a scar make you less attractive?"

Ji Ziyan's eyes were cold and sharp, which frightened the maid so much that her legs went weak and she knelt down. "This servant wouldn't dare!"

Ji Ziyan turned around, looked at herself in the mirror, and said coldly, "That's fine, no need to dress up anymore."

“Sister doesn’t need to dress up anymore,” a slightly immature boy’s voice came from outside the door. Ji Zihua leaned against the door frame, tilting his head to look into the room.

"After all, my sister is naturally beautiful, and such a vulgar person is not worthy of her!"

Ji Ziyan rarely showed a slight smile and asked him, "Why did you come here?"

"We've come to see my elder sister off on her wedding day." Ji Zihua squatted beside the dressing table, leaning on the table and looking up at her.

"My sister is so beautiful... just as beautiful as my mother."

“Nonsense,” Ji Ziyan tapped his head lightly, “where have you ever seen your mother?”

"I've seen it before, I've seen it in my dreams!"

Ji Ziyan paused for a moment, then asked him, "What did she look like in your dream?"

"Hmm..." Ji Zihua recalled, "She looks exactly like my older sister now, in short, she's very beautiful!"

"You're such a chatterbox." Himeko said with a disdainful smile as she put on the last hairpin.

"Let's go, the auspicious time is approaching."

The veil fell on her head, covering the horrifying scar along with it.

Ji Ziyan was helped to the door, then suddenly stopped, turned halfway back to Ji Zihua and said, "The world is vast, Zihua, go and see for me."

The auspicious hour had arrived, and the guests had come, but the snow was falling even heavier.

At one end of the red carpet, Cheng Yuan stood by the ancestral altar in the main hall, waiting; at the other end, Ji Ziyan, dressed in wedding attire, slowly approached.

The heavy snow had obscured the figures of people, and only two red figures could be seen approaching each other amidst the white expanse.

Three drumbeats sounded, and Ji Ziyan walked to Cheng Yuan's side.

The two stood upright in the snow, facing the offering table, holding red handkerchiefs, but neither of them had a smile on their face; instead, they looked bitter and resentful.

"The bride has arrived! The ancestral worship ceremony begins—!"

The two of them each held one end of a scarf, with enough space between them for three more people to fit in. They respectfully bowed three times to the offering table.

"You'd better behave yourself today."

Ji Ziyan lowered her voice and looked straight ahead, but it was clear that she was speaking to Cheng Yuan beside her.

Cheng Yuan, not to be outdone, replied, "Steward Ji, you are overthinking it. What abilities do I have? It is you who should show mercy."

Ji Ziyan stopped speaking. After the two finished their ancestral worship, they walked into the main hall together. The guests around them chatted and laughed, saying things like "they are a perfect match" and "the man is talented and the woman is beautiful."

After the crowd quieted down, the master of ceremonies shouted, "First bow to Heaven and Earth!"

The two bowed towards the door.

"Bowing to the parents twice!"

Since the two of them had no parents, they bowed to the memorial tablets of Madam Liu and her husband on the table.

"Husband and wife bow to each other—!"

As if knowing what kind of people the two were, the master of ceremonies deliberately drew out the sound.

But both of them kept their backs straight, and neither of them bent down.

A few rustling voices gradually emerged from the crowd, forcing the master of ceremonies to muster all his strength and shout once more.

"Husband and wife bow to each other—!!"

Finally, Ji Ziyan gave in first and bent down. Cheng Yuan waited for two seconds before also bending down.

The moment he lowered his head, the sound of a sword pierced the air, and a green sword flew over, its blade pressed against Cheng Yuan's neck.

"If you dare to bow down, you're finished."

The tone was neither fast nor slow, but it inexplicably sent chills down one's spine.

"Master!" Before even seeing the person, Cheng Yuan realized what was happening and quickly turned around to confirm.

"Immortal Chu? What's he doing here? Didn't he... betray Changjin Mountain?"

The crowd, unaware of the truth, was full of doubts, but they dared not question Mo Yang directly due to his powerful sword aura.

Mo Yang sheathed her sword, and Chu Jianshan stood with his hands behind his back facing the crowd.

"Immortal Chu, what does this mean?" Ji Ziyan's voice was cold and clear. Even before she removed her veil, her aura was already imposing.

Chu Jianshan said calmly, "As you can see, it's a forced marriage."

The moment the words "bride kidnapping" were uttered, the audience erupted in uproar and chatter.

"I...I told you it was true!" A young master, holding a folding fan and whose identity was unknown, was so excited that he stammered.

"I'm not lying to you! Everything in the storybooks is true! Those two masters and disciples at Changjin Mountain really did have an affair... an affair!"

Amidst the commotion on the sidelines, Cheng Yuan's gaze remained fixed on Chu Jianshan.

He never imagined that the words "bride kidnapping" would come out of Chu Jianshan's mouth.

"Master, you..."

Chu Jianshan looked at him and said in a low voice, "I've come to take you away."

He asked Cheng Yuan one last time to confirm: "Are you coming or not?"

"Walk!"

The word practically slipped out of his mouth. Cheng Yuan took off his wedding clothes and ran towards Chu Jianshan.

Ji Ziyan suddenly lifted her veil and shouted, "Stop him!"

A light flashed, followed by the sound of weapons clashing. The few who went to chase were all cut down by an unknown sword, leaving only a few to protect Ji Ziyan.

Ji Ziyan frowned as she looked at the person in front of her, feeling that he looked somewhat familiar.

"You are... Dong Huai-ren's son?"

Based on her impression of Dong Huai Ren, Ji Zi Yan barely recognized him and couldn't help but smile contemptuously: "You're joining in the fun too? What, didn't Sect Leader Dong come to back you up?"

Dong Qi slung her sword behind her back, her tone completely different from her previous weakness: "My father is recovering from his injuries and specially ordered me to come and congratulate you on your wedding."

Ji Ziyan looked him up and down and said, "This doesn't look like you're offering congratulations."

Dong Qi's expression remained unchanged: "As you can see, I'm here to assist Immortal Venerable Chu."

Ji Ziyan said coldly, "Is this an open act of enmity with Linyi Gate?"

Dong Qi raised her sword in an attack stance, her eyes filled with deep hatred: "Hasn't the Linyi Sect already considered the Shaoxuan Sect an enemy?"

"A defeated sect is not even worthy of being called an enemy!"

Ji Ziyan threw a dart, which was cleaved in two by Dong Qi's sword and flew back in the opposite direction. Ji Ziyan grabbed a nearby assassin to block the attack for her.

"Hold him back!"

The men in black swarmed forward, and Dong Qi's numerous subordinates appeared out of nowhere behind him. The two sides clashed instantly, and blood mist filled the hall.

Outside the palace, Chu Jianshan led Cheng Yuan, running through the heavy snow. No matter how loud the wind was, they could still hear the heartbeat of the person beside them.

Suddenly, there was a sharp sound of blades cutting through the air. Chu Jianshan shoved Cheng Yuan aside, and a long sword pierced straight through the middle of the two of them.

Ji Ziyan recalled her sword and placed it in front of the two of them, while their escape route was completely surrounded by the Linyi Sect cultivators.