Chapter 35 Immortal Venerable, You've Stealed My Wedding!
"What am I doing?" Ling Shu sneered. "I'm just wearing wedding clothes and entering into a lifelong bond with someone. Zhuang Jinfu, do you have to interfere in your disciple's marriage? What right do you have to tell me what to do?"
Zhuang Jinfu's face was terribly dark: "Stop making a scene, come back with me."
Ling Shu frowned deeply. Seeing her reminded her of her words, "She pitied her," and her heart ached. She didn't want to go back.
“Go back? Can I go back? I overstepped my bounds and disposed of Shan Ji without authorization. This matter has already spread. If I go back, I will be the target of everyone’s criticism. You want me to go back? What would I do if I went back? Do you want Wang Lifu to lock me up again and let me experience what it feels like to be struck by lightning again? Or go to Shuijia Lake and feel the cold wind of the cold wave? Or lock me up with those prisoners and listen to their howling all day long? Zhuang Jinfu, I have no intention of going back since I broke out of prison.”
Zhuang Jinfu was also filled with worry: "It's dangerous down the mountain. You know that, yet you still run down the mountain. You can disregard life and death all by yourself. Have you asked Zhao Chi if she's afraid of death? Can she stay with you through a lifetime of wandering?"
"Zhao Chi agrees."
Zhuang Jinfu felt like he was about to go crazy with anger: "Lingshu, people's feelings are not meant to be used. You accept Zhao Chi's kindness to you with a clear conscience, but you never consider what others have done for you or how they feel. You only care about your own feelings."
Ling Shu said with a self-deprecating laugh, "You're right, I am that selfish..."
She paused for a moment, then couldn't hold back her tears and said, "So this is how you see me."
She felt selfish, so what right did she have to guess that Zhuang Jinfu also had feelings for her? She should have known that her passionate feelings couldn't melt the iceberg.
Ling Shu sobbed, "I'm tired. Please don't pity me anymore. Let's forgive each other. You can go back in peace and continue being your high and mighty immortal. As for this wretched disciple of mine, just pretend you never took him in."
After she finished speaking, there was silence in the air. After a moment, Zhuang Jinfu said in a deep voice, "Ling Shu, it's dangerous down the mountain."
Ling Shu had no patience to continue talking to her.
She sighed and said, "If Master has time, please stay for a drink at our wedding. I'll invite you to take a seat."
She said it on purpose. Since she had never loved her and had no feelings for her, Ling Shu might as well save face. Even if today was not her wedding day, she wanted to make the best of a bad situation, make her leave in anger, and then find an opportunity to kill Xia Yi.
Ling Shu's tears kept flowing, and her face looked terrible. She turned around, but Leng quickly approached from behind and grabbed her arm with a strong force. When her hand was pulled up, the hemp rope binding her hands, which had been hidden by the long sleeves, was revealed. Zhuang Jinfu pulled her hand, and both of her arms were lifted up at the same time.
Zhuang Jinfu chuckled and looked at her leisurely, saying, "This is the wedding wine you're inviting me to?"
Ling Shu's lie was discovered, and her face turned bright red. She twisted her arm, trying to get her to let go, but Zhuang Jin Fu held on tightly, almost breaking her hand. "You're hurting me...!"
Zhuang Jinfu didn't let go, but raised his other hand to take off her phoenix crown and threw it on the ground.
With a dizzying spin, Ling Shu was lifted up horizontally and twisted her body, howling, "Hey, hey, hey! Zhuang Jinfu, I'm not going back! I'm not going back!" Zhuang Jinfu didn't speak, but lifted her up and pulled her into his arms, while Mei Xu was already lying on the ground.
It seemed she was determined to take her back. Before Zhuang Jinfu stepped onto the sword, Ling Shu looked towards the woodshed and cried out urgently, "Zhao Chi! Save Zhao Chi!"
Ling Shu was carried to the door of the woodshed. Zhuang Jinfu broke the lock and used his magic to destroy the door. He then saw Zhao Chi with his hands tied behind his back, huddled in front of a pile of firewood.
Suddenly seeing the light, Zhao Chi looked closely and almost bit his tongue: "Immortal...Immortal Venerable, what brings you here..."
Bingjing cut the hemp rope off Zhao Chi's hands. Zhuang Jinfu glanced at her and casually said, "It's up to you whether you stay or leave."
Just as Zhao Chi was pondering the meaning of this, only a blur remained in the air. Zhao Chi waved to the sky and shouted, "Wait for me!"
The sword flew slowly towards Shangqing Mountain, and Ling Shu was held firmly in her arms, not daring to move.
Zhuang Jinfu's cool body was pressed against her side, and when she looked up, she could see the red mole under her earlobe. The soft touch of the stolen kiss echoed in her mind.
The wind blew Zhuang Jinfu's hair backward, and every now and then a few strands of hair drifted onto her smooth and fair cheeks. Her high and straight nose was as upturned as a mountain peak, and her lips below her nose had a dew-like lip. Her lips were tightly closed, and the lines on her lips were deeper than usual. Had she not drunk water for many days?
She usually applies lip rouge after breakfast, but she didn't today.
With the addition of rouge-colored lipstick, her indifferent face gained a touch of glamour and beauty. Without lipstick, the aloofness between her brows and eyes became more pronounced, making her appear cold and unapproachable.
"I don't want to go back," Ling Shu muttered deliberately.
"Be good." She was as aloof as ever.
Ling Shu refused, saying, "I don't want to be your apprentice."
"Only I can protect you." Zhuang Jinfu continued to look at the road.
Unable to find an excuse, Ling Shu went back to the root of the problem: "You don't need to be so nice to a strange demon." Why was she keeping harping on her? Shouldn't she have driven away her disciple, who had offended her, and left her fate to fate?
Zhuang Jinfu simply said, "I am a Celestial Venerable, so naturally I must protect the peace and well-being of all living beings. You are also one of the living beings."
“The Way of Ruthlessness is not like that…” Ling Shu continued to mutter, “I’ve read the book. The Way of Ruthlessness is not about severing emotions and love, but about not interfering with the birth, aging, sickness and death of all things in the world, following nature, which is similar to governing by non-action, and treating the fate of every living being fairly. For example, if a bird falls off a tree, if you don’t save it, you are following your Way of Ruthlessness. If you save it, you are interfering with cause and effect.”
Zhuang Jinfu praised her, saying, "You read well." His voice was inexplicably cheerful.
Ling Shu didn't know what she was happy about, and said according to her own thoughts, "If you save me, it will go against your cultivation and violate your belief in destiny and nature. If you still save me, I'm afraid your Dao heart will be unstable and you will be punished by heaven."
Zhuang Jinfu lowered his eyes slightly, his voice gentle, as if sighing and recounting: "Back then, the Nine Heavens ordered me to guard the Upper Clarity Realm, my duty being to prevent natural disasters. If we follow the natural order and the Supreme Being's ruthlessness, my existence would be disrupting the natural order. Yet they still wanted me here. I think the existence of gods and immortals is actually contrary to nature. When people offer incense and pray for peace, gods and immortals, having received the incense, are obligated to grant their wishes, protect them, and avert calamities. If we follow nature, the averted calamities will occur. In that case, what are gods and immortals?"
Her tone was gentle, her attitude mild, and Ling Shu would readily accept the offer of forgiveness. This was a sign of reconciliation between the two. Now, having lost all her magical powers, she was completely under Zhuang Jin Fu's control and was threatening to run away. However, she couldn't undo the effects of the drug on her body, so she spoke politely as well:
“I think that immortals like you are actually part of the Heavenly Order. Reasonable intervention is for the better life of all living beings, because natural disasters are irreversible. Every time they come, they bring devastating disasters to all living beings. Therefore, you are the most important person in the Shangqing Realm.”
Ling Shu's eyes were full of affection as she obediently stayed in her arms, saying kind and understanding words. Zhuang Jinfu felt relieved but also slightly heartbroken.
Ling Shu suddenly didn't want to argue with her anymore. She just suddenly realized that Zhuang Jin Fu was carrying a heavy burden on her shoulders. It was a so-called responsibility and a so-called morality that she had never been able to reach. Zhuang Jin Fu was busy dealing with her own affairs. How could she spare the time to respond to her small act of love? Compared to her, she seemed so naive.
The age gap of three hundred years was something Ling Shu could never overcome, no matter how hard she tried. Emotions welled up inside her, and an indescribable sorrow filled her heart.
Zhuang Jin touched his lips slightly and said, "My disciple has matured quite a bit."
Ling Shu began to realize how childish her previous confession had been. A blush crept onto her face, and she poked Zhuang Jinfu's shoulder with her bound hands, whispering, "I'm sorry, Zhuang Jinfu, I... you've forgotten what I said about liking you before! I... I won't offend you again!"
After saying that, Ling Shu lowered her head like an ostrich, wishing she could bury it completely.
Zhuang Jinfu chuckled lightly, "Who will you like tomorrow? Zhao Chi?"
Upon hearing Zhao Chi's name, Ling Shu immediately retorted, "No! I only consider her a friend!"
Zhuang Jinfu's voice seemed even more cheerful: "That's Li Chang."
Ling Shu scratched Zhuang Jinfu like a cat: "Master! What are you saying?" But she still had an answer in her heart: what she longed for would never be answered; a demon's loyalty was unwavering, and she would only love one person in her lifetime.
Zhuang Jinfu chuckled a few times and let her go.
The wind howled, and the road back to Shangqing Mountain was really long. Ling Shu rested her head gently on Zhuang Jinfu's shoulder, listening to the mountain wind whistling past her ears. Below, the water murmured, the shadows of the trees swayed, and birds chirped and monkeys cried in the forest, making the darkness of the night sound desolate.
The young girl leaned gently on her shoulder and fell asleep peacefully in her arms. Zhuang Jinfu finally felt relieved. She dared not think about forever, and only wished that the natural disaster would come later.
She calculated that less than six months later, during the Dragon Boat Festival, a natural disaster would strike Shangqing Realm.
When they arrived at Qingxi Mountain, Ling Shu was still asleep. Hai Gu was waiting at the entrance of the palace. Finally, she saw Zhuang Jinfu carrying Ling Shu in. She immediately noticed the red wedding dress on Ling Shu and the hemp rope in her hands. She was shocked and exclaimed, "Immortal Venerable, you've stolen my bride!"
The exclamation caused the other servants to turn around sharply, all looking at Ling Shu in Zhuang Jin's arms.
Zhuang Jinfu's ears turned slightly red as he said, "Yes, if I had been any later, my good disciple would have already married herself off."
The sea maiden smiled meaningfully and said, "It's rare to see such enlightenment, Immortal Venerable."
Suppressing the urge to overthrow Hai Gu, Zhuang Jinfu asked, "Have you prepared a change of clothes?"
Suddenly, a man emerged from the main hall: "Hai Gu has been prepared all along." Then, Wang Lifu's furious voice rang out: "Is this how you discipline her?"
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