Set off
Time slipped by quietly as Bu Nian Guan prepared methodically and as Ji Wang raced against time to control the Dao Source.
As dawn broke and dusk fell, the last batch of talismans was drawn, the pills were bottled, and the synergistic array of the cold-resistant artifacts was adjusted to its optimal state. Suddenly, this night was imbued with the weight of "the eve of departure."
The chirping of insects outside the window seemed to know that parting was imminent, and their calls were longer than usual.
The moon was already high in the sky outside.
Ji Wang lay on his side, quietly propped himself up, and, by the faint moonlight, poked Bu Jiu's cheek.
"Are you asleep...?" Ji Wang asked in a low voice.
There was no response.
Ji Wang still remembers when he first met Bu Jiu. This guy was frighteningly alert. If there was any movement in the room, even just the rustling of the wind blowing the window paper, his eyes would immediately open, as clear as if he had never been asleep. At one point, Ji Wang even doubted that Bu Jiu needed to sleep at all.
As a result, I had been dragged into his dorm room during this period. When I got cold at night, I would subconsciously snuggle into his arms. When I had nightmares, I would grab the hem of his clothes. I was annoyed by his occasional harassment. Over time, I got used to being so close to him, and he even slept more soundly than I did.
After confirming that Bu Jiu wouldn't wake up anytime soon, Ji Wang quietly rolled out of bed.
He carefully drew the bed curtains to block out the light and any possible night breeze, ensuring that Bu Jiu's peaceful sleep would not be disturbed. Only then did he turn around and take out the carefully folded fire silk wedding dress.
Ji Wang skillfully threaded the needle, and only then did he secretly rejoice. In his previous life, Yun Shen might not have been good at this, but in this life, during the period when Ji Wang did everything himself at Bu Nian Guan, mending clothes and even simple cutting were commonplace, and he had developed excellent needlework skills.
At this moment, embroidering the last few delicate patterns on the wedding dress that require manual reinforcement and embellishment is a piece of cake.
He sat by the small table by the window, using the candlelight to hold a fine needle between his fingertips, stitching away one thread at a time.
The stitches are fine and even, and more delicate outlines are added to the edges of the original lotus and fox patterns, making the veins of the intertwined branches clearer and more dynamic.
Occasionally he would stop, his fingertips tracing the smooth, slightly warm fabric, his gaze falling on the completed peace talisman on the inner lining of his chest.
The night was quiet, with only the soft crackling of the candle wick and the faint rustling of a needle passing through it.
Inside the bed curtains, Bu Jiu seemed to turn over, let out a murmur, and then fell into a deep sleep again.
Ji Wang's needle and thread never stopped. He knew the road ahead was fraught with peril, he knew a storm was brewing. But at this moment, his beloved slept peacefully beside him, her hands sewing a magnificent robe for him, and beneath the windowsill stood a little doghouse they had made together.
All of this made him absolutely certain that no matter what happened, he would carry Bu Jiu, draped in this warm glow, back to this spring window to watch the mountain cherry blossoms bloom year after year.
With the last stitch completed, a knot was tied. Ji Wang lifted the wedding dress and checked it one last time by candlelight, confirming it was perfect.
He carefully folded it up, put it back in its original place, then blew out the candle and quietly returned to bed.
The cool scent of night dew was quickly dispelled by the warmth of the bedding. He pulled Bujiu into his arms, gently resting his chin on the other's soft hair, and closed his eyes.
The next day, before the mist had even dissipated, Gui Tiao stepped into the palace in high spirits.
He immediately spotted Ji Wang in a corner of the main hall, bending down to count the neatly arranged storage bags and several wooden boxes covered with talismans. His movements were swift and his expression calm, showing little sign of the restlessness he felt before his departure.
"Sect Leader Ji!" Gui Tiao rushed over, his voice exceptionally clear in the quiet, "Why are you awake so early this time? I thought I'd have to come and bang on the door!"
The young man had a smile on his face, clearly harboring some secret anticipation for the task of "waking up the sect leader."
Ji Wangzhi stood up, dusted off his hands, glanced at him, and said with a hint of defense in his voice, "I don't usually stay up late, do I?"
“This time it’s exceptionally early.” The one who answered was You Hang, who walked over slowly. She was dressed in a neat and tidy outfit, her long hair was tied up meticulously, and her expression was as calm as ever.
Her gaze swept over the neatly categorized supplies on the ground, which had clearly been repeatedly checked, and a hint of approval flashed in her eyes.
Ji Wang smiled and said, "Let's check it out as soon as possible to avoid any omissions."
He looked at the two of them and said seriously, "Are you really going to escort me all the way to the far north this time? Our allies in Jiehai Mountain will meet us there, so it's really unnecessary..."
"Of course we'll go!" Gui Tiao answered eagerly, puffing out his chest. "The sect has specially increased its manpower this time, knowing that this operation is of great importance and fraught with difficulties. Now that we've formed an alliance, how can we just contribute resources without putting in any effort?"
As he spoke, he secretly glanced at You Hang, afraid that he might have said something wrong.
You Hang nodded and continued, "Especially since you mentioned the other day that you felt your Dao Source was being inexplicably drawn in. In addition, Elder Mi Quan confirmed that the location was in the far north, in the bitter cold depths... After analyzing with Fellow Daoist Xun Jing, we unanimously suspect that there is probably more than one formation, and it may even be that a net has been laid out in the far north. More backup means more protection."
She looked at Ji Wang: "Even if we can only send you to the edge, we can feel more at ease if we can see you, Sect Leader Ji, enter the rendezvous point set up at Jiehai Mountain."
These words were well-organized and sincere.
These allies, who initially explored cooperation, have now become a force he can rely on to support him wholeheartedly.
"They're all here?" Xun Jing rushed over, holding a newly updated terrain map in his hand: "Sect Leader Ji, all supplies have been verified three times and are in good condition. The runes and magical artifacts are also in good condition. Elder Mi Quan from Jiehai Mountain sent a message saying that their people have arrived at the designated rendezvous area and conducted a preliminary investigation. There are no abnormalities in the outer perimeter so far."
"Understood. Thank you for your hard work at the temple." Ji Wang nodded and quickly scanned the diagram.
"How lively!" Huaiqing walked over carrying a box of fine rattan medicine. Today he had changed into a long robe with tight sleeves for easy movement, and a grayish-blue cloak to protect him from the wind and snow. "Take a look at me and see how I look. It's been so long since I've worn this."
He placed the medicine box on the table beside him and sighed, "The last time I went on a long trip, I..." His gaze slowly fell on the faces of the group, and he gently shook his head, "...I didn't even get to see you guys."
Gui Tiao blinked, then suddenly exclaimed "Ah!" with a look of sudden realization mixed with a hint of sympathy on her face, and blurted out, "Mr. Huaiqing... is he under house arrest?"
His gaze toward Huaiqing was immediately filled with pity.
Ji Wangzheng took another list from Xun Jing, and upon hearing this, he suddenly looked up: "What...?"
He even doubted whether he had misheard.
Gui Tiao continued along her own train of thought, her tone becoming even more certain, even tinged with a sense of indignation: "No wonder you always stay in the temple studying medicine, it turns out you can't go out... How pitiful."
As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Ji Wang: "I didn't expect you to be this kind of person, Sect Leader Ji."
Even the usually composed Xun Jingdu was stunned, and the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch slightly.
Ji Wang was both amused and exasperated by this sudden accusation. Pointing to his own nose, he looked incredulous: "Me? I'm putting him under house arrest?"
He glanced at Huaiqing—the "house arrestee" who was listening with great interest, his smile growing increasingly meaningful—and then at Gui Tiao, who looked naive and foolish. He felt that this burden had come on inexplicably and was immensely heavy.
No sooner had he finished speaking than Bu Jiu's voice came from the side: "He's just too lazy to go out." After saying that, he naturally walked to stand beside Ji Wang.
Even the slow-witted Gui Tiao understood the implication and stammered, "Oh, so that's how it is... I'm so sorry, Sect Leader Ji, Mr. Huaiqing, I was just talking nonsense..."
Huaiqing waved his hand, then turned his head to look at Bujiu with feigned displeasure, raising an eyebrow slightly: "You're undermining me as soon as you arrive?"
Bu Jiu didn't even look up, only saying, "I heard you making a fuss as soon as I got inside."
"I just arrived!" Huai Qing chuckled, pointing to herself and then to the hall, trying to prove her innocence. "How is it that I'm the one making a fuss?"
His usually calm and composed face rarely showed a hint of grievance, though it was clearly feigned.
The people in the hall were taken aback at first, but then they couldn't help but laugh, and the atmosphere immediately became much more relaxed.
Gui Tiao almost made a sound, but quickly held it back, his shoulders trembling suspiciously, earning him a slightly warning yet equally smiling glance from You Hang.
"Alright, alright," Ji Wang quickly smoothed things over, "Huaiqing was just lamenting how quickly time flies, so please don't tease him. But..."
He turned to Huaiqing and said, "I think the assessment that he's too lazy to go out is quite accurate."
Huaiqing pretended to sigh and shook his head, saying, "They used to say I was important, but now they're ganging up on me."
Even so, the smile on his face became more genuine. He opened the medicine box and began to distribute the last batch of pills in an orderly manner, handing out small medicine bottles and neatly folded medicine packets to each person, along with brief instructions.
When it was Bu Jiu's turn, Huai Qing picked up a bottle labeled "Qingxin San" and was about to hand it over.
Bu Jiu's gaze fell on the bottle, his pupils contracted slightly, and he instantly thought of the bowl of medicine with its enticing aroma and indescribable taste.
He took a half step back, a subtle movement, but everyone present had exceptional eyesight, so how could they not notice?
Bu Jiu immediately realized his lapse in decorum. As the Ghost King, it was truly beneath his dignity to shy away from a bottle of pills in front of everyone.
So he forced himself to calm down, pursed his lips, and reached out as if to take it, but his fingertips paused in mid-air for a moment before quickly withdrawing, as if the bottle was too hot to handle.
Finally, he looked away and said stiffly, "...Give this to Ji Wang."
This attempt to cover up the truth, coupled with the clearly unconvinced "to Ji Wang," only widened the already smiling faces of the crowd.
Ji Wang reacted quickly, and before Huai Qing could even make a joke, he had already reached out and taken the bottle of Qingxin Powder, putting it into the safest inner pocket of his body.
"Okay, I'll take it." Ji Wang patted the spot on his chest where the medicine was kept. "Don't worry, I won't let you take it unless it's absolutely necessary."
Seeing this, Huaiqing stopped making things difficult for him and handed another bottle of pills labeled "Rejuvenation Pill" to Bujiu, saying gently, "This bottle is for resisting extreme cold and stabilizing the heart meridian. Keep it close to your body."
This time, Bu Jiu caught it quickly, stuffing it into a hidden pocket in his sleeve without even looking at it.
"Take them all." Huaiqing solemnly instructed, "These can save your life in a critical moment."
This little incident completely dispelled the last bit of tension before departure, replacing it with a relaxed feeling unique to family and friends.
After distributing all the pills, Huaiqing closed the medicine box and glanced at the group of people who were all ready to go.
“Then…” he said softly, “let’s go.”
The sun shines brightly, and the road ahead is clear.
Without further hesitation, everyone turned and walked outside.
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