Chapter 41 The Joyful Union Sect

The Wind Array Sect is holding a grand ceremony for Daoist couples, and invitations have been sent to all seven major sects. The invitation to Su Yunyu is particularly grand, earnestly hoping that she will attend.

Originally, Yuan Xiaorui and her senior brother's marriage was supposed to take place, but it was delayed because a demon appeared in the sect. Now that the matter has been resolved, Su Yunyu and Xiao Shuying are naturally the biggest contributors.

Therefore, when Su Yunyu and Xiao Shuying arrived as promised, they saw that Yuan Hongchou had specially prepared a separate table for the two of them.

The table was laden with a dazzling array of dishes, from seasonal fruits and vegetables to meat and fish, to delicacies from land and sea—it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it had gathered all the world's finest foods.

This move pleased Su Yunyu greatly. He came to join in the fun for two reasons: first, to exchange something with Yuan Hongchou, and second, to attend the banquet.

Heaven knows how long he's been starving since he arrived here. He hasn't even had time to secretly cook for himself. Now, thanks to the newlyweds' wedding, he can at least have a few drinks, if not a huge feast.

Red carpets covered the entire sect square, colorful ribbons hung everywhere, and even the damp sky turned the color of wedding gowns.

Yuan Hongchou held his little daughter's hand, his eyes brimming with tears as he expressed his gratitude to the guests. The atmosphere was warm and touching.

However, none of this concerned Su Yunyu. He was currently overwhelmed with choices and was troubled about which dish to start with.

He casually picked up a piece with his chopsticks and tasted it, only to find that it was some kind of animal offal. Although it was tender and smooth, it was exactly what he didn't like.

No matter how delicious the ingredients, Su Yunyu could always taste a fishy smell when she chewed offal until the very end.

Therefore, after taking a bite, he decisively put the remaining half into Xiao Shuying's bowl.

And they said it in a flattering way: "Try it."

Xiao Shuying was only distracted for a moment when she noticed an unidentified dish with a bite taken out of it in her bowl.

He looked up at Su Yunyu and found that the man looked completely at ease, as if he didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

"..."

While living in the Xiao family mansion, he often went hungry. Those who bullied him liked to throw him half-eaten steamed buns or dumplings, but he would rather go hungry than touch them.

And now, looking at the half-eaten food in the bowl...

Xiao Shuying picked it up without making a sound and ate it.

It's an animal offal, very tender, but people who don't like it always find it fishy.

However, Xiao Shuying didn't taste any fishiness; instead, she found that after Su Yunyu took a bite, it had a strange fragrance.

Seeing that he had eaten, Su Yunyu said to System 111, "You know, some people, when they like someone, will deliberately give the other person something they've already eaten, because that way they can indirectly kiss them."

111 asked in return: [What, you like overpowered protagonists?]

Su Yunyu smiled: "No, I was just seeing how he would react to me. Good, he's not a germaphobe."

As they were talking, Xiao Shuying picked up a yellow, unidentified vegetable and put it in his bowl. Su Yunyu looked at it and saw that although it hadn't been bitten, it only proved how much Long Aotian loved him.

Without a second thought, I picked it up and ate it, only to discover out of the blue that it was a chili pepper!

"Holy crap, this is a chili pepper unique to the cultivation world, it's killing me!"

Su Yunyu was so spicy that she almost broke out in a sweat, so she picked up her teacup and took small sips, pretending to be calm.

Xiao Shuying didn't know that it was a chili pepper; she just thought that its bright color made it look delicious.

Seeing that Su Yunyu's eyes were bright, she thought he liked the taste, so she put a few more pieces in.

With such a joyous occasion before him, he was magnanimous and decided not to cause Su Yunyu any trouble.

Su Yunyu: "..."

Oh no, it feels like Long Aotian is taking revenge on him.

Just as I was caught in a dilemma, wondering whether to eat it or not, a person walked towards me from afar, their laughter ringing out amidst the tinkling of bells.

"Immortal Venerable!"

Su Yunyu breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it was someone looking for her.

Great, I don't have to eat the chili peppers that Long Aotian gave me.

Looking up, I saw a man dressed in a very flamboyant manner, with a smile plastered on his face. He was quite handsome, but the smile was rather cheap and ruined his overall demeanor.

When he saw Su Yunyu, his eyes lit up, and then he smoothly pulled a piece of paper and a calligraphy brush from his sleeve, smiling ingratiatingly.

"Immortal Venerable, I'm your fan, can I get your autograph?"

Upon hearing this, Su Yunyu was shocked. What fans? What autographs? Aren't these 21st-century internet slang terms?

Could it be…? Su Yunyu glanced at him discreetly, deciding to test him:

Do you have a ballpoint pen?

The man's smile froze for a moment, then widened, his winking and gesturing suggesting he had endless things to say, which startled Su Yunyu into striking first:

"Wait! Come with me first."

"Yes, Immortal Venerable."

They became much more intimate as they spoke, and even their winks and eye contact seemed to be some kind of signal.

Xiao Shuying's eyes twitched. Seeing that slutty, shameless woman so easily let Su Yunyu take him away, she was furious and immediately shouted:

"Master!"

Su Yunyu was so excited that she didn't care about Long Aotian at all. Upon hearing this, she simply gave a brief instruction without turning her head:

"Wait for me here."

As they walked away, Xiao Shuying immediately decided to follow them. The two people had been speaking strangely and acting suspiciously, so following them might lead to some discoveries.

Most importantly, Su Yunyu clearly didn't know that person, yet her attitude changed instantly, and she deliberately distanced herself, clearly indicating that she had something to say.

Xiao Shuying followed them with a cold laugh, wanting to see what secrets these two people had.

Su Yunyu, having already determined from the man's reaction that he was from her hometown, led him to a secluded spot. Before she could ask any questions, the man introduced himself:

"You can call me Li Qingyuan, but my current identity is Yin Jiang..."

Before he could finish speaking, Su Yunyu interrupted him through gritted teeth:

You said your name is Li Qingyuan.

Seeing his inexplicable anger and his vividly handsome, aloof face, Li Qingyuan swallowed hard, captivated by his beauty, and nodded in a daze.

Su Yunyu was even more annoyed by his simple-minded appearance:

"You are the author of 'The Three Realms Bow Down to Me' (Scallion-Braised Rabbit Meat)"

As an editor, although I have access to countless authors, only a few are truly popular, so I know their names clearly.

Especially the book he was wearing; ever since he arrived here, he had been secretly cursing the braised rabbit with scallions, also known as Li Qingyuan, countless times.

Now, the culprit who caused him to reincarnate ninety-eight times is right in front of him. Su Yunyu's fists hardened, and he coldly asked him:

"How did you end up here?"

"I don't know," Li Qingyuan said, scratching his head, clearly confused.

"I've been here for a while now. At first, I wasn't used to it, but now I feel like it's a reward from heaven. Being able to cultivate immortality is so awesome! What about you?"

"Heh," Su Yunyu gritted her teeth and said, "If you think it's fun, then you don't have any missions to do."

Li Qingyuan still looked confused: "What kind of mission do you need to do?"

The thought of that damned mission fueled Su Yunyu's anger, and she grabbed Li Qingyuan by the collar, demanding an answer:

"Tell me first, why did you write Su Yunyu as resurrected? Why did it cause so much resentment among the readers, making me transmigrate into the book too?"

"And another thing," Su Yunyu took a deep breath before continuing, "is that..."

"How do you explain that this character has the exact same name as me, and even looks almost exactly like me?"

When this was mentioned, Li Qingyuan smiled sheepishly:

"Don't hit me, but actually this character is based on you. As for why I was resurrected, it's because I like this character even more."

"I..." Su Yunyu was speechless, never in her wildest dreams that the reason why an author's work collapsed later on was because he couldn't balance the interests of others!

After getting angry and frustrated, he realized he couldn't do anything about it. The initial excitement of seeing his fellow villager had almost faded, and he felt more melancholy because his fellow villager no longer wanted to go back, while he was still working hard.

"You really don't want to go back?"

Li Qingyuan nodded: "That's right. The reason I wrote this novel is because I really yearn for the world of cultivation. Actually, the character you transmigrated into is equivalent to yourself. You're the number one in the world! You should really like such a powerful cheat ability."

Su Yunyu gritted her teeth: "I like your grandpa."

From a perfectly good editor, I was transported into a completely unfamiliar world.

What's the point of life without hot pot, barbecue, games, and novels?

"Oh, right," Su Yunyu suddenly thought of a question:

"Tell me, what is the ultimate goal of this villain, Feng Mingye?"

When this was mentioned, Li Qingyuan smiled shyly again:

"have no idea."

"..."

Su Yunyu looked puzzled, somewhat unable to believe the answer.

Seeing that he was about to erupt again, Li Qingyuan immediately began to explain:

"You helped me create the character of Long Aotian. I really don't know how to write the villain Feng Mingye. I just wanted to create a crisis for the protagonist from the beginning. As for how to end it, I haven't had time to think about it yet."

"Fine, excellent," Su Yunyu laughed in exasperation, momentarily at a loss for words.

After asking a few more questions, it was discovered that Li Qingyuan was indeed a useless author. He wrote whatever came to mind, which led to many problems that were essentially unverifiable.

"Hehe," Li Qingyuan chuckled humorously, then, as if remembering something, said:

"Don't be like that, I'll be going back soon too."

"What"

Li Qingyuan sighed, raised his arm to embrace Su Yunyu, and looked deeply saddened.

"It must have been an accident that I transmigrated here. Heaven has been rejecting me all along, and this body isn't mine. So, as expected, I'll be leaving in the next few days. If you see this body again, don't try to test it."

At this point, Su Yunyu forgot about being angry and even forgot to push him away; she was simply stunned.

"Will you wear this again in the future?"

Li Qingyuan shrugged helplessly: "I'm not sure, but I think your strategy of winning people's hearts should succeed."

As he spoke, he stared at Su Yunyu's appearance with lustful eyes:

"Even if I'm straight, I'll still fall in love with you."

"..." Su Yunyu could no longer bear it. She was both angry and sad, and kicked him.

Li Qingyuan first pretended to cry out in pain, and just as he was about to say something, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest, which made him turn pale and he actually knelt down on the ground.

Startled, Su Yunyu forgot her anger and rushed to help him up, anxiously asking:

What's wrong with you?

Li Qingyuan, enduring the pain, waved his hand:

"It should be the pressure of Heaven's will. Don't worry, I may leave today."

As he spoke, he pulled something from his sleeve and handed it to Su Yunyu, his face pale, yet he still managed a chuckle:

"Here's a secret for you."

"What secret manual?" Su Yunyu opened it without suspicion, and the next second she almost threw the book and herself away.

Because it wasn't a secret manual, but rather a drawing depicting the "Great Union of Yin and Yang," Su Yunyu took a deep breath and asked:

What do you mean by that?

Li Qingyuan spoke haltingly and weakly:

"I am from the Hehuan Sect. This is the Hehuan Sect's dual cultivation technique, and it's even for men. Please don't look down on it."

"..."

Since it was a gift from a fellow villager, and especially since it was a prop that might be used in the future, Su Yunyu coughed awkwardly before accepting it.

Li Qingyuan's pain had lessened, so he got up and told Su Yunyu to go back first, as he couldn't leave for too long given his status.

Su Yunyu felt a deep sadness at the thought that she had finally met her fellow villager and would never see him again. She was reluctant to leave, as if she still had so much to say to him.

Seeing his hesitation, Li Qingyuan teased him:

"Editor, you haven't fallen in love with me, have you?"

"..."

Very well, this damn brat deserves a beating.

"You wait, I'll cut your book up when we get back."

Thanks to him, I now have the motivation to do the mission. Anyway, it's not like we'll never see each other again; we can go back after he finishes the mission.

When Li Qingyuan heard that the book was to be cut, he panicked and clung to his arm, pleading:

"You can't kill me! I finally managed to write a hit book."

"Get out!" He had just roared when he noticed that Li Qingyuan's face seemed to turn pale for a moment.

Li Qingyuan just smiled and said, "Alright then, no matter how many books I write in the future, I will still write them here. You cut one book and I will write another."

"..." Su Yunyu was speechless, thinking that arguing with him any further would only drive her crazy, so she simply said:

"I'm leaving now. I'll come back to find you."

He's a man with a "destiny" on his side; how could he be pulling and tugging at a time like this?

Li Qingyuan smiled and said, "I wish you success."

Su Yunyu took one last, reluctant look at him before leaving. As he walked away, Li Qingyuan said something to the air:

"Come out, I know you're here."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Shuying came out.

As soon as he caught up, he saw Li Qingyuan embracing Su Yunyu, and Su Yunyu didn't push him away!

The two were very close, chatting and laughing, with no distance between them. When had he ever seen Su Yunyu so radiant and icy?

In that instant, as his emotions surged violently, his cultivation returned to normal, and naturally, Li Qingyuan experienced a sharp pain in his chest.

He just didn't expect that he could still laugh and talk even when he was in so much pain.

Xiao Shuying gave a cold snort:

What is your relationship with him?

Looking at the handsome and dignified Long Aotian in front of him, Li Qingyuan immediately felt the pangs of fatherly concern.

Although he later treated Long Aotian unfairly and severely abused him, he still had some affection for the character.

He knew that only Long Aotian could have exerted such overwhelming pressure, and he understood that Long Aotian was only at the Qi Refining stage at that time.

But does Su Yunyu know about this?

Seeing Li Qingyuan's absent-minded gaze, Xiao Shuying's eyes turned cold and fierce, and with a pressing pressure, she asked again:

"To tell or not to tell?"

"..."

Originally, Li Qingyuan was supposed to distance himself from Su Yunyu's mission because he wanted to help her.

But he just wanted to annoy Long Aotian, so he deliberately reminisced:

"We are in a relationship of sharing life and death."

If his book becomes a huge hit, the editor will also benefit; if he can't write a book, the two of them will both perish.

One was verbally abused to death by readers, and the other was verbally abused to death by his boss.

"Insolence!" Xiao Shuying roared upon hearing this, calmly gathering her energy into a blade, intending to take his life directly.

If what he said is true, then isn't the kindness Su Yunyu showed him also something that others are experiencing?

He would not allow such a thing to exist, nor would he allow anyone else to share this special privilege!

Li Qingyuan was unaware that his life was in danger. He thought Long Aotian was harmless, at least that's what Su Yunyu said, so he continued to provoke him.

“We used to be very close, you should still call me Second Master.”

After all, he and Su Yunyu created this character together, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was Long Aotian's second father.

"..."

Seeing that Xiao Shuying remained silent, Li Qingyuan assumed he had angered him and immediately became as loving as a father, intending to stop provoking him. Just as he was about to tell him that it was actually nothing serious, a sudden pain shot through his chest, and his blood seemed to stop flowing—

His consciousness went blank for a moment, and when he slowly looked down, he saw that his heart had been pierced through, leaving an empty hole.

Xiao Shuying smiled, her gaze looking down at him coldly:

"I don't care what your relationship is, just die now."

Li Qingyuan coughed up blood, his whole body wracked with pain, and he was too exhausted to speak.

He knew he was doomed, and with his last breath, he uttered:

"Holy crap..."

After saying that, he collapsed.

Those eyes still seemed to hold disbelief.

It was indeed unbelievable, after all, Su Yunyu had just been saying how well-behaved, insecure, and introverted his Long Aotian was.

Su Yunyu called such a vicious guy harmless.

Before he died, Li Qingyuan cursed the damned Su Yunyu.

Then suddenly I realized that Su Yunyu might not know about this.

And so he died with his eyes wide open in disbelief.

Seeing that Li Qingyuan was no longer moving, Xiao Shuying stepped forward to confirm that he was indeed dead. Then, seeing a cliff not far away, she threw him off without hesitation.

He was just a disciple; no one would even notice if he died.

You can't blame him for being cold-blooded and ruthless; blame him for hooking up with someone he shouldn't have even considered.

Having dealt with everything, Xiao Shuying walked back with a light heart.

I may not have heard what the two were saying because of my emotional state at the time, but no matter what secrets they had, it doesn't matter if someone dies.

While Su Yunyu was immersed in the melancholy of not seeing her fellow villagers again, she saw Xiao Shuying return, but she was only uninterested and showed no interest in where he had gone.

Seeing his distraught state, Xiao Shuying wished she could turn back, retrieve the corpse, and whip it again.

What is it about such a dissolute and frivolous person that makes Su Yunyu look at him differently?

It seems that Su Yunyu is not only easy to fool, but also has terrible judgment.

From then on, he would kill anyone he fancied.

In that case, no one can be more special than him.

As the two were lost in their own thoughts, a burst of laughter drifted from afar. The laughter was so familiar that both Su Yunyu and Xiao Shuying simultaneously looked up—

The two of them were stunned for a second.

Because that person was "Yin Jiang", which is also Li Qingyuan.

Xiao Shuying nearly broke her chopsticks, as if she had seen a ghost.

Having lived ninety-nine lifetimes, this is the first time I've encountered such a situation.

What kind of person can be completely dead, only to reappear unharmed a second later?

There's only one possibility: someone else died.

Seeing Su Yunyu's gaze fixed intently on that person, Xiao Shuying's breathing became labored, and she couldn't help but ask:

"Master, why do you keep looking at him?"

Su Yunyu then came to her senses and said nonchalantly:

"It's nothing."

The man's expression was different from before, presumably the soul belonging to Li Qingyuan had already returned.

Thinking of this, he felt even more melancholy. His fellow villager had already passed away peacefully and without burden, while he himself had endured ninety-eight lifetimes and still might not be able to return.

It's true what they say, comparisons are the thief of joy.

Hearing Su Yunyu's perfunctory answer, Xiao Shuying clenched her fists, abruptly stood up, and said:

"The apprentice should also go and get to know him."

Before Su Yunyu could react, he strode away, thinking that even if she came back to life, he could kill her once and he could kill her a second time.

Moreover, there's something fishy about this matter, and he won't feel at ease until he figures it out.

So Su Yunyu had barely realized what was happening when Xiao Shuying had already gone.

Watching Long Aotian's retreating figure, Su Yunyu felt increasingly melancholy.

If Yin Jiang were still the same Li Qingyuan, then Long Aotian would be recognizing his creator...

Presumably, Xiao Shuying will have another father by then.

Meanwhile, Yin Jiang was enjoying drinks with her fellow disciples at the banquet, completely unaware of the earlier incident of the alien spirit entering her body.

The Heavenly Dao automatically fills in some loopholes, so his fellow disciples naturally didn't notice anything unusual.

As they were drinking, Xiao Shuying walked up to them with a heavy expression and asked:

What did you mean by "fans" just now?

If it is indeed someone else, then it is easy to find out.

Xiao Shuying's gaze was fixed on Yin Jiang, and seeing his blank expression, she asked in confusion:

"Brother, you've got the wrong person. I don't know what you mean. Aren't fans supposed to be food for humans?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Shuying understood somewhat.

Vermicelli is food, that's common sense, but that's clearly not what that person meant.

It was a word that Su Yunyu used in her answer back then, and it doesn't seem to be a word that exists here.

With her understanding now clear, Xiao Shuying realized that the souls of that person and Su Yunyu likely originated from the same place, a place completely different from this one, which is why others couldn't understand the language there.

Suddenly enlightened, Xiao Shuying decided not to continue. Meanwhile, Yin Jiang, having learned from his fellow disciples that he was Su Yunyu's apprentice, immediately harbored thoughts of currying favor with him.

"It doesn't matter if we've got the wrong person. I think we're destined to meet today, so why don't we get to know each other?"

"No need," Xiao Shuying smiled emotionlessly, thinking that it was indeed fate, after all, she had already died at his hands once.

If they got to know each other again, he might be able to kill Yin Jiang a second time, after all, that face is so handsome that just looking at it makes you want to kill him.

Yin Jiang watched his cold departure, feeling a little strange inside.

He's such an unpredictable person, always coming and going without a trace. Especially since I couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache the moment I saw him. How strange! Could it be some kind of karmic entanglement?

“Master, I’m back,” Xiao Shuying said, relieved that the person was not the same as before.

Looking at the untouched food she had previously placed in his bowl, she feigned hurt and asked:

"Master, why aren't you eating?"

Looking at the few pieces of chili pepper in the bowl, Su Yunyu first gave a bitter smile, then decided to fight fire with fire. She took a bite herself and then put some into Long Aotian's bowl:

"You should try some too."

Sure enough, Xiao Shuying picked it up and ate it without any doubt.

Wait, doesn't he know this is a chili pepper?

Caught off guard by the spiciness, Xiao Shuying realized why Su Yunyu wasn't eating, and after a moment of silence, innocently said:

"Master, I didn't know what this dish was at first."

As he spoke, he casually picked up a piece of food and put it into Su Yunyu's bowl.

This time, Su Yunyu felt guilty because she suspected that Long Aotian had deliberately failed in his revenge, so she ate it.

It's good, it's bitter, just like bitter melon.

"..."

Su Yunyu really wanted to tell Long Aotian that his choice of dishes was excellent, but he shouldn't do it again next time.

Just as I picked up my teacup to ease the bitterness, my sleeve suddenly felt light, and with a thud, something fell to the ground beside my ear.

Su Yunyu glanced casually at the ground, and after realizing what she had dropped, she choked on a mouthful of water.

"Cough cough cough cough cough!"

Oh no, the secret manual of the Hehuan Sect!

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Author's Note: Here comes a long, satisfying chapter! [dog head with rose in hand]

I set the timer wrong, oh no! I didn't mean to post it late, I'm laughing at myself [laughing and crying emoji]