Chapter 127 Brownish-Yellow, Emperor
The old ancestor was determined to die.
Duan Chenzhang holds grudges, but Yan Lingxi holds them even more.
He dared to find her a "father," how could she let him off easily?
Duan Chenzhang said no: "My mouth moves faster than my brain, I won't say it next time."
His attitude in admitting his mistake was very good. After he finished speaking, he smiled and leaned closer to Yan Lingxi, saying, "Don't get along with him. He won't be with you for long. Only I can stay by your side forever."
Yan Lingxi asked in surprise, "Immortal couples need to love each other, it's not about who lives the longest and who they end up with."
Duan Chenzhang asked, "Do you love Pei Yunzhao?"
Yan Lingxi frankly admitted: "We don't love each other, but we are very close. Being close and loving each other already accounts for half of our relationship. Given time, we will naturally fall in love."
"Who told you this nonsense?" Duan Chenzhang said. "It's like something you like at first sight. The longer you spend time with it, the closer you'll become. But if you don't like it at first, forcing yourself to cultivate it over time is just forcing yourself."
"Do you love me?"
Yan Lingxi suddenly asked a question in return.
She had a pair of bright, clear eyes with a hint of wit.
Caught off guard by the question, Duan Chenzhang paused for a moment before replying, "Of course I love you, otherwise why would I be telling you so much? Besides disliking my personality, what else do you dislike about me?"
Yan Lingxi thought for a moment and said, "There's another thing, even if I tell you, you won't change. You had a particularly sharp tongue when I first met you."
"Then I'll seal my mouth shut and never speak again, and you'll like that? If that's the case, I can cast a silencing spell now, to imprison you for ten thousand or eight thousand years, and then undo it when you find me boring."
He looked at her with a smile, a hint of teasing, yet also a touch of deep affection, making it impossible to tell whether it was genuine or a joke.
Yan Lingxi was half annoyed and half amused. She loved his mouth the most, but she also hated it the most!
The two usually joked around, and he could always make her laugh, but he was rarely serious. He was always half-serious and half-joking, making it impossible for her to guess his true feelings.
Yan Lingxi lifted her foot and walked away.
"You should keep that mouth of yours to amuse other fairies and goddesses."
"I don't understand what you mean." Duan Chenzhang put away his joke and chased after him, saying, "We have been serving the same court for more than three thousand years. Have you ever seen me have close relationships with any fairy or goddess? I have been with you since I came here, and I often find various excuses to visit you in my spare time. You are more cunning than a fox. Do you really not know my feelings?"
Yan Lingxi stopped and said, "What a coincidence! We are standing right here in the White Fox Cave of Ten Thousand Fox Mountain. The foxes in the cave are all very clever. Should I catch one and ask them if they know what you're thinking?"
Human thoughts are complex and ever-changing, especially when facing someone you like.
Do you think she really didn't know he liked her? She might have sensed his feelings even earlier than he did, but he just didn't say it.
She was also worried that she was just imagining things, that the claim that she and Pei Yunzhao were destined to be immortal couple was completely fabricated and was just something she said on purpose to test him.
Yan Lingxi said, "Your mind is deeper than the sea; I'm not as clever as you think!"
He was about to leave again.
He grew anxious and grabbed her sleeve, saying, "I don't have any complicated feelings for you. I just like you. You've been going to Pei Yunzhao's place a lot lately. You should give me a chance to talk things out, right?"
So it's my fault after all?
"Of course it's my fault! If I had told you earlier, you wouldn't have gone to such lengths to test me."
He was quick-witted; even if he hadn't realized Yan Lingxi was testing him before, he understood now.
He held her back, not letting her leave, his eyes filled with nervousness and a hint of embarrassment. Seeing this, she finally laughed and said that this was more like confessing one's feelings to someone.
Yan Lingxi smiled, but Duan Chenzhang couldn't. He stared at her and said, "Now you know my feelings. Are you willing to be with me?"
"If I stay with you, how can I know if you will remain faithful to me forever and never change your heart?"
Duan Chenzhang said, "We are both immortal and indestructible. Making oaths and vows is so boring. If I said that I would be struck by lightning if I ever betrayed you, it would not hurt me at all. I will only say one thing: if I change my mind or treat you badly, may I live a lonely life and never be able to marry again."
Yan Lingxi asked in surprise, "You want to form a death pact with me?"
A death contract is a type of marriage contract. Once it is made, it cannot be easily separated. Otherwise, the person who has changed their heart will have all their affection severed and will suffer the pain of having their heart torn out year after year.
Yan Lingxi shook her head and said that this method would also be a constraint for her, not a benefit.
Duan Chenzhang hadn't expected her to have such a plan, and he gritted his teeth and laughed, "You're still thinking of leaving me?"
“I was thinking that since we’ve decided to be together, we should be able to take the risks. If we’re bound by a contract, we’ll lose our true selves.” Yan Lingxi looked at Duan Chenzhang and said, word by word, “I don’t want to form a death pact with you. I can afford to gamble, and I’m sure you won’t let me lose.”
These words warmed his heart. Duan Chenzhang looked deeply at Yan Lingxi, feeling that there had never been a moment when he was so excited.
"Naturally, I won't let you lose."
Whether you win or lose depends on your performance.
Yan Lingxi smiled mischievously and tugged at the sleeve he was gripping tightly, saying, "You like this dress? Why are you holding onto it like that?"
He then realized that he had been holding her hand the whole time.
She teased him, and he could tell from her tone that he was both indulgent and helpless, saying, "Don't you know what I like?"
Yan Lingxi shook her head, but her smile deepened: "I don't know."
He sighed, realizing he was completely at her mercy, and released her sleeve to grab her hand.
"If you don't know, you don't know. Anyway, I'll take that as a yes."
"Who said I agreed? I need to think about it seriously for a while."
How long will you consider it?
"Maybe thirty to fifty years?"
"nonsense."
"Perhaps 35.69 million years?"
"Luckily, I'm long-lived and can wait."
"I was complaining a while ago that I had no end in life."
"That's because being alone is too lonely. It's different when you're by my side."
"What's different?"
"It's just different."
The two walked side by side, both with undisguised smiles on their faces.
This smile comes from the heart, like a blooming flower, spreading its branches, penetrating the body, blending into the blood and qi, and then blossoming rosy and bright.
Yan Lingxi looked at their clasped hands and gently shook them twice, feeling as if they were a light swing, swaying until their wedding day.
Emperor Jiang Zhan personally officiated at their wedding. The two, dressed in bright red wedding attire, entered the main hall. Yan Lingxi wore a flower crown and a dress of twin red lotus blossoms. Her face showed no shyness, but was filled with happiness and joy.
The gods raised their glasses to celebrate the couple's marriage, their smiles sincere and their eyes ardent; overall, they appeared to be in harmony.
Han Ling, who was "observing" the ceremony with Duan Jiuyou from the sidelines, seemed worried that she would be deceived by the facade. He sneered, "A wedding banquet personally officiated by the Emperor. Even if people have a bad relationship in private, who would dare not come? These people are the best at putting on a show. Once you tear off this skin, who knows what kind of heart they have!"
Duan Jiuyou was unsure of what the gods of the Heavenly Realm were thinking, but he knew that everyone present was very happy. After the ceremony, his father toasted with the gods, and he was quite adept at cheating and slyly returning home seemingly drunk and unsteady on his feet, but he actually sobered up as soon as he reached the bridal chamber.
The gods can't hold their liquor as well as he can; they'd need to practice for years to get him drunk.
Pushing open the door, Yan Lingxi sat upright on the wedding bed, her smile bright. Her delicate hands were embracing a tortoise shell the size of a steamer basket. Duan Chenzhang's smile froze, and his disdain was written all over his face.
What is he doing here?
In Yan Lingxi's hand was a small, immature turtle. It seemed to know that its brother-in-law didn't like it, and it had already retracted its limbs and head into its shell.
Yan Lingxi's expression was displeased: "He's my brother, where else could he be if not here?"
This was her only relative in the clan, a direct descendant, though his spiritual roots were not as good as hers. She grew up among a herd of giant turtles, and after developing her own intelligence, she left the herd and followed her bloodline connection to find the Heavenly Realm.
Xiao Ao was very clingy to Yan Lingxi, wishing he could be by his sister's side every moment. However, Duan Chenzhang didn't like the clingy Xiao Ao, especially on their wedding night.
Which sensible brother-in-law would run into the new house and cause trouble?
Duan Chenzhang sat down next to Yan Lingxi, bent a finger and tapped the tortoise shell, and asked Yan Lingxi.
"He's been here all night?"
Yan Lingxi said yes, "We'll put it between us in a little while, and it can rest with us tonight."
Duan Chenzhang said nothing, turned around and walked to the screen to undress and change into casual clothes. He then grabbed the tortoise shell from her hand and threw it casually. The tortoise shell landed with a "bang" and turned into a cloud of colorful smoke that dissipated.
There was no small turtle in the bridal chamber; it was clearly a trick by Yan Lingxi to deceive him. Duan Chenzhang sensed it when he tapped the turtle shell.
Yan Lingxi said with a grin, "Xiao Ao didn't come, Pei Yunzhao brought him. He likes Yunzhao more than you, and he regrets why I married you."
Duan Chenzhang said "Oh," and then said, "Why don't you just have him talk to Pei Yun?"
"You dare!" Yan Lingxi said fiercely, "Xiao Ao will live with us from now on."
Yan Lingxi dotes on Xiao Ao, and Duan Chenzhang is actually not bad either, but compared to Pei Yunzhao, who arranges everything properly and raises Xiao Ao like a son, he is still a step behind.
Duan Chenzhang was a strict father who often taught Xiao Ao to be independent. Xiao Ao both respected and feared him, but his eyes were full of admiration when he looked at Duan Chenzhang.
This is a very contradictory mindset: admiring those who are strong, yet knowing that one's own abilities are too low and worrying about not being liked.
Duan Chenzhang said, "I didn't say we couldn't let him live with us. It's just that you and I don't understand the methods of cultivation. Keeping him by our side would only harm him. This child has the heart to seek enlightenment, so we should do our best to guide him onto the right path. If we spoil him, I'm afraid he'll only be a little earthworm for the rest of his life."
This is also the problem that Yan Lingxi is most worried about.
Xiao Ao wanted to transform into human form, but she had no experience to pass on to him. The two siblings started from different points: one was born in human form, while the other spent a thousand years to develop a little intelligence. The difference between them was too great.
Seeing her looking worried, Duan Chenzhang pinched her droopy little face and said, "I just talked to Lord Yu Zu a while ago and asked him to take Xiao Ao under his tutelage. With his guidance, Xiao Ao can comprehend the Dao. Are you still worried that he won't be able to take human form?"
"Did the Divine Lord Yu Zu agree?" Yan Lingxi could not hide her excitement.
Duan Chenzhang leaned lazily against Yan Lingxi, looking pained as he said, "The old man has a huge appetite. I gave him more than a dozen magic treasures and said countless nice things before he agreed."
Yan Lingxi never expected that Duan Chenzhang would ask for help.
He has always had a weak sense of family and is not very enthusiastic about people or things. Xiao Ao is a relative she imposed on him, and she had worried that he wouldn't be able to dote on him as much as she did. Unexpectedly, although he seemed indifferent, he actually cared a lot.
Duan Chenzhang seemed to know what she was thinking and took the initiative to say, "I may seem cold on the outside, but I am warm on the inside. I do care about people."
Yan Lingxi snuggled into his arms, laughing loudly, and said, "I know you're warm-hearted, so I'll thank you on behalf of Xiao'ao, brother-in-law."
"You're so good at sweet-talking people." Duan Chenzhang flicked her nose, then heard Yan Lingxi say, "If Xiao Ao is going to enter the immortal sect, he should have a proper name. Although the name Yan Xiao Ao is cute, it's not very proper."
Yan Lingxi's name was given to her by a passing immortal when she was cultivating on the sacred mountain. At that time, she was still young and kept asking the immortal for a name. The immortal gave her the name 'Lingxi', so she took the immortal's surname.
Xiao Ao is her younger brother, so he naturally takes her surname. However, she is not as well-educated as Duan Chenzhang, so the name she chose is not as scholarly.
Duan Chenzhang said, "The name was chosen a long time ago."
"What's your name?" Yan Lingxi pressed.
"Emperor Zong".
"Yan Zonghuang? Isn't that a grand name? He's just a small turtle, how can he be called an emperor?"
"Big what?" Duan Chenzhang looked puzzled. "It's named after its original color."
The small, brownish-yellow earthworm.
"Go to hell!" Yan Lingxi sat up angrily. "This name sounds like a dog's name, it's not even as good as the Emperor's!"
"Dahuang is the dog's name," Duan Chenzhang corrected Yan Lingxi.
"I've turned on you!" Yan Lingxi punched him.
Duan Chenzhang couldn't help but laugh: "Then let's call him Zonghuang. It's okay to have a grand name. A grand name means lofty aspirations. Xiao'ao is a child with perseverance. As long as he is properly guided, he can become a god in the future, which will be worthy of this name."
"Was that what you thought from the beginning?"
"Otherwise what? Would I really give my brother-in-law a dog's name?"
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