Chapter 74 Who is the adulterer?

Xu Zangyu was led halfway by Xiao Mingxin when she realized that this was not the way back to Yu'an.

Xiao Mingxin seemed to be lost in thought and walked very fast. Xu Cangyu stopped and was pulled back by him, causing him to stumble.

"Where are you going, senior brother?"

Xiao Mingxin usually had a stoic expression, but he kept smiling the whole way, clearly in a good mood.

"What are your thoughts on forming a Daoist partnership, Junior Brother?"

Xu Zangyu gazed at the distant immortal mountain and hesitated, saying, "Senior brother, do you want to return to Tianyi Sect? The sect leader... I'm afraid he won't allow you to do that."

Xiao Mingxin grasped his hand; it was hot and burning, as if the blood in her whole body was boiling and burning.

"Let's first form a Daoist partnership contract, and I will definitely make up for the Daoist partnership ceremony for you later."

"No need for that."

It's not something to be proud of, why do we have to announce it to the whole world?

Xu Zangyu simply didn't understand what a Daoist Couple Contract was. He had heard that those who formed Daoist couples would hold a grand ceremony to formally become husband and wife.

The expectation in Xiao Mingxin's eyes was too obvious, and Xu Cangyu ultimately didn't want to disappoint him, so she nodded and agreed.

The anxiety that had been building in his eyes suddenly burst forth with joy.

Xiao Mingxin took out a teleportation scroll and, unable to wait even a moment, arrived at the Bamboo Forest Residence in the blink of an eye.

The place has suddenly changed its appearance. What used to be deserted is now covered with brightly colored red silk.

Even the two bamboo lanterns hanging on the eaves have had their previous blue gauze replaced with a layer of red leather.

As Xu Cangyu walked to the front of the house, the first thing he saw was Xiao Mingxin's plain white bed, which now had red covers.

A pair of red candles with mandarin ducks were placed next to them, adding to the romantic atmosphere.

When exactly did Xiao Mingxin prepare all this, and how was he so sure that he would agree?

Footsteps echoed outside the Bamboo Grove Residence, accompanied by familiar shouts; one knew without needing to identify who it was.

"Senior Brother, I'm here. Wow, your decorations here... are quite festive. Why did you suddenly change the style?"

Chen Zhiguang arrived as agreed and immediately noticed the changes in Xiao Mingxin's residence, almost thinking he had come to the wrong place.

"Third senior brother, where have you been all this time without telling me?"

Chen Zhiguang had had enough of the boring days and wanted to find Xu Cangyu to pass the time, but there was no one at the Bamboo Grove Residence. He spent almost a month making pills by himself.

I received the message about eliminating the star last night, so I came over early this morning.

Xu Zangyu: "...He's coming too?"

Xiao Mingxin: "There always needs to be a witness at a wedding."

Chen Zhiguang looked at the two of them, who were staring at each other blankly. "What are you two talking about? I don't quite understand. Witness? Who's getting married?"

Xiao Mingxin suddenly bowed to Chen Zhiguang, which startled him and almost made his hair stand on end.

"Big Brother, what are you doing?"

What merit or ability does he possess to deserve the respect due to his senior brother?

Xiao Mingxin: "Today, my junior brother and I are becoming Daoist partners. I would like to trouble my fourth junior brother to witness this for us."

Chen Zhiguang broke out in a cold sweat, still unsure of what he had heard. "Senior Brother, you... you and Third Senior Brother have become Daoist partners, did I hear that right?"

Even though Xiao Mingxin nodded in agreement, Chen Zhiguang still looked terrified.

"I must be dreaming." He pinched his face hard, tears streaming down his face from the pain. He looked at the two people, then at his surroundings, and saw that nothing had changed. He suddenly gasped for breath.

"How did you two become Daoist partners so easily?"

“My junior brother and I are of one mind, so it’s only natural that we became Daoist partners.” Xiao Mingxin said this as if it were the most natural thing in the world, which made Chen Zhiguang’s nervousness and panic all the more obvious.

"Even if Third Senior Brother were to form a Daoist partnership, it would be with Chu—"

A cold glint suddenly flashed in Xiao Ming's eyes, and Chen Zhiguang instinctively shut his mouth.

"Chu what?"

Chen Zhiguang scratched his head guiltily, and seeing Xu Cangyu's bewildered expression, asked uncertainly, "Third Senior Brother, how much do you remember now? Senior Brother Chu, do you still remember?"

"Senior Brother Chu?"

Xu Zangyu found the name familiar, and his heart inexplicably pounded. He continued to ask, "Did Senior Brother Chu and I have any entanglement?"

Chen Zhiguang's mouth ran fast, "You don't even remember the marriage certificate? Isn't that..."

Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder, a chilling aura enveloping his back. Chen Zhiguang felt as if his shoulder blade was about to be crushed by that hand.

Stiffly, she quickly tried to salvage the situation, "No, nothing? I thought you two would sign a marriage certificate before becoming Daoist partners, like Senior Brother Chu."

Chen Zhiguang grinned so hard his mouth almost went numb. He never expected that his senior brother, such a virtuous and upright person, would actually commit marriage fraud!

He bullied his third senior brother without realizing it, forgetting that he has a fiancée... no, a fiancé.

No wonder they're secretly forming Daoist partnerships now. If word got out, none of the sect leader, master, or disciples of Chaolu Peak would approve.

Chu Shu's whereabouts are currently unknown. If she knew this news, she might be so angry that she would run back herself.

Was the eldest senior brother really not just pretending to be the third senior brother's partner to anger senior brother Chu and bring him back?

He looked down and realized that their hands were clasped together beneath their drooping sleeves, as if they had never separated. If they were really acting, they wouldn't have done it in front of him.

Chen Zhiguang took a breath, still unable to recover from the shock.

Xu Zangyu: "So what do we need to do now?"

"Don't rush, you haven't put on your wedding dress yet."

Xu Cangyu nudged Xiao Mingxin, "Senior brother, let's change first."

As soon as Xiao Mingxin stepped inside, Xu Cangyu whispered to Chen Zhiguang, "That Senior Brother Chu..."

Chen Zhiguang glanced furtively at the doorway, opened his mouth to speak, but then seemed to have his throat suddenly choked. Xu Cangyu turned around and was also stunned.

Xiao Mingxin is too fast.

He was speechless and could only go in to change into his wedding dress.

The outfit displayed on the screen must be his. None of the clothes he wore could compare to this one. It was exquisite and gorgeous, and could not have been made in a short time. It was just a bit complicated.

Xu Cangyu changed into her inner garment, and then spent a long time struggling with the complicated buttoning process. Finally, after trying several times, she found the correct way to wear it.

So how did Xiao Mingxin manage to change it so quickly?

After changing, Xiao Mingxin took his hand, slowly knelt down, and said:

"I bow to Heaven and Earth."

"I bow twice to inquire about the Yellow Springs."

"Three bows to become husband and wife."

Perhaps it was because Xiao Mingxin's clothes were too brightly colored today, that his cool and aloof aura was tinged with warmth. He had a faint smile on his lips, yet he couldn't hide his restraint and nervousness, just like a young man with a reckless heart facing his beloved.

Xiao Mingxin brushed a tangled strand of hair from his shoulder. "You really look good in red."

"My senior brother is also very handsome."

A tender affection lingered between the two, and Chen Zhiguang clenched his fist so tightly that he almost broke his fingers.

He really hasn't been able to adjust yet, and he can't figure out when the two of them started dating.

How did these two, a mouse and a cat, end up together?

He dared not ask, much less tell anyone, and stood there feeling utterly tormented.

Just when everything was over, Xiao Mingxin suddenly cut his palm, and a thin line of blood appeared from his hand.

"Senior brother, what are you doing?" Xu Zangyu asked in surprise.

“Naturally, we shall form a Daoist partnership,” the wisp of blood drifted toward Xu Zangyu, “Heaven and Earth bear witness, I, Xiao Mingxin, and Xu Zangyu shall become Daoist partners, and this vow will never waver. If there is any betrayal, we will surely be punished by the gods and condemned by heaven.”

The words were powerful and resounding, striking Xu Zangyu's heart. He looked at the blood-stained knife handed to him, his breath caught in his throat, and in a daze, he saw a person dressed in red, with a smile on their lips, handing him the knife.

I've never heard of having to swear a poisonous oath to become a Daoist partner. This Daoist partner contract looks rather strange.

Seeing his hesitation, Xiao Ming thought to himself, "Junior brother, just take a sliver of blood from your fingertip."

He hesitated before taking the knife, but Chen Zhiguang rushed over and shouted urgently, "Wait!"

Under immense pressure from Xiao Mingxin beside him, Chen Zhiguang forced himself to speak: "There is no such thing as a Daoist partner contract in this world. This is the method for forming a blood contract."

Xu Zangyu: "What is a blood pact?"

"By using their blood as a medium, they can merge and form a blood pact. Once successful, they must not harm each other, and the death of the other will also bring backlash. If the two are separated, the longer they are apart, the more excruciating the pain will be."

Chen Zhiguang became more and more excited as he spoke, "Even loving couples would not form a blood pact to restrain each other, considering all these drawbacks."

Xiao Mingxin's eyes were deep and dark, and the blood lines spreading from his palm were still throbbing intensely, yearning for the fusion of the other half.

"Why is a blood pact not considered a Daoist partner pact? It was originally created by a talisman cultivator for his Daoist partner, but later generations simply did not accept it."

A sarcastic smile played on his lips. "If you truly love each other, why would you be afraid of being bound by a blood pact?"

"Junior brother, are you afraid?"

Xiao Mingxin's gaze was extremely penetrating. Xu Cangyu glanced at him, then looked away and made a cut on his finger with the knife. "Let's get married."

The gaze that had been piercing Xu Zangyu suddenly softened. "There's almost no chance of breaking this curse. Junior Brother, have you thought this through?"

Xu Zangyu extended his finger forward, "If it doesn't heal soon, I'll bleed to death."

Now that things have come to this, how could he possibly disagree?

Although Xu Zangyu dislikes constraints, he wouldn't be afraid just because of a blood pact.

Xiao Mingxin smiled and channeled his spiritual power. A line of blood slowly gathered at the cut on Xu Cangyu's fingertip, moving closer to Xiao Mingxin's line of blood and merging with it, just like two red lines intertwined.

Xiao Ming thought to himself, how could this inseparable red thread not be considered a predestined marriage?

The two lines of blood intertwined more and more tightly, and Xu Zangyu felt his heart being clenched tighter and tighter. This was not his imagination; he could clearly feel that even breathing had become difficult.

His chest grew hotter and hotter, and with a thud, the blood vessel broke, and drops of bright red blood dripped onto the ground, scattering one by one.

The breath suddenly froze. Xiao Mingxin was incredulous. He channeled his spiritual power again, but the two blood lines broke before they could even merge.

"How is that possible?"

Xiao Mingxin's face was grim and terrifying. "As long as both parties agree to the blood pact, it will definitely succeed. How could it fail?"

Xu Zangyu was also confused, but he felt relieved. "Perhaps the method of forming the contract was wrong."

“Absolutely impossible,” Xiao Mingxin said definitively.

Suddenly, Chen Zhiguang blurted out, "Third Senior Brother, have you ever formed a blood pact with anyone else?"

Xu Zangyu gasped and immediately retorted, "How could that be?"

Chen Zhiguang: "I've heard that the longer the blood oath is formed, the deeper the affection becomes, and the deeper the blood imprint on the heart becomes."

A chill ran down Xu Cangyu's back. "What kind of bloodstain?"

Chen Zhiguang tried hard to recall, but Xiao Mingxin answered first: "Like the shape of flower petals."

Xu Zangyu: "..."

Her heart burned even more intensely, and Xu Cangyu unconsciously reached out to cover it. Suddenly, a cold hand came over and deftly unfastened the intricate hidden buttons on her clothes.

A bright red mark was clearly imprinted on his fair chest. The color wasn't actually very dark, but it was extremely glaring in Xiao Mingxin's eyes.

"Junior brother, who did you form a blood pact with?"

His voice was trembling, as if he was so angry that he couldn't control himself.

With her heart pounding in her chest, Xu Zangyu almost mistook Xiao Mingxin's question for "who is the adulterer?" in a daze.

"I don't even know what a blood pact is, how could I possibly form a blood pact with someone?"