Chapter 472 Feng Yu Die, Thank You
In the blink of an eye, it was early autumn. The Hundred Lotus Sect was filled with golden hues, and red lanterns, symbolizing joy, had been hung under the eaves of the streets and pavilions.
Near the martial arts stage on the Main Peak, Qi Refining Stage disciples in their sect uniforms were coming and going, mostly discussing the impending marriage between their Young Master and the Fairy Pei. They hoped to feast at the wedding banquet or perhaps forge friendships with like-minded senior fellow Daoists from other sects.
The entire Hundred Lotus Sect was permeated with a festive atmosphere.
However, standing alone by the railing of the Viewing Stage, which was near the cliff, gazing at the distant sunset, was a silver figure that seemed detached from the joy.
The autumn wind blowing from outside the mountains ruffled the silver hair on Feng Yu Die’s cheek. She raised a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, propped her chin, and sighed dejectedly:
“Sigh…”
… …
Two months ago, Ye Anping had returned to the Hundred Lotus Sect and asked Pei Lianxue whether she wanted a grand or a small wedding.
Pei Lianxue didn’t care about the scale of the wedding, so Ye Anping planned to invite a few acquaintances and simply complete the ceremony and consummation.
However, circumstances were beyond his control.
Due to the “Summoning Immortal Order” incident, he, the Young Master of the Hundred Lotus Sect, was now the most talked-about cultivator in the Western Regions, and a Nascent Soul cultivator at such a young age.
Upon hearing the news, many second and third-rate sects in the Western Regions sent congratulatory gifts.
Since gifts had been sent, it would be impolite not to host them for a meal.
Reluctantly, Ye Anping had to consult with Ye Ao and others again. The wedding, which was initially meant for a few dozen people, was expanded into a banquet for nearly ten thousand guests.
Ye Anping had no experience with such matters, and the Hundred Lotus Sect had never held such a large ceremony before. Fortunately, with Tong Zilan and Fu Xuan Shangxian present, the preparations proceeded smoothly.
However, Ye Anping was the groom, and many sect families had come to form alliances with him. He had to spend his time greeting and meeting with these clan cultivators one by one.
Moreover, with more people, there were bound to be some brawls and fights.
Ye Anping, along with Liang Zhu and Ye Wan’er, had to patrol the surroundings of the Hundred Lotus Sect, dealing with the petty cultivators involved in fights. They also had to remain vigilant against anyone with ill intentions trying to take advantage of the situation.
In short, Ye Anping was swamped with trivial matters.
— He couldn’t even find time to make roasted chicken for her…
Feng Yu Die rested her chin on her arm, pouting listlessly. She hadn’t eaten Ye Anping’s homemade roasted chicken in a long time.
Furthermore, the wedding contract seemed to have a taboo against “poultry” on the wedding day. All the chickens raised in the Hundred Lotus Sect had been sent to the back mountain and confined. Even the crested crane worth eight hundred and eighty thousand Spirit Stones had been sent away.
Although Ye Ao had given it a separate room…
“Sigh…”
With another sigh, Feng Yu Die buried her face in the crook of her arms, leaning against the railing. Her chest felt inexplicably heavy.
Tomorrow night, her Young Master Ye would be holding the ceremony with her Junior Sister Pei.
Junior Sister Pei appeared very happy, and Young Master Ye was also happy.
They were both the people she cared about the most. Their union should bring them happiness and prosperity. Logically, she should bless them, but…
“Sigh…”
How could mere words describe her sorrow!
Feng Yu Die could only keep sighing to alleviate the gloom in her heart.
“Sigh…”
Tap, tap—!
Suddenly, two sounds of wooden clogs echoed from behind, followed by a small hand landing on her shoulder.
“Hey! You with no luck, why are you sighing here alone!”
Feng Yu Die immediately smelled alcohol. Frowning, she turned her head and saw Yun Jiujiu wearing a golden Sword Sect robe that was two sizes too large for her. She felt a slight surge of energy:
“Jiujiu, when did you arrive…”
Yun Jiujiu hopped onto the railing, bit open the stopper of the jade gourd at her waist, and took two large gulps:
“I got here early this morning. My sister and Yun Xi are playing Mahjong with Lord Li and Young Master Xiao. I said I hadn’t seen you, and then I found you here alone, feeling the wind. What’s wrong with you now? You look even more down than Yun Xi…”
“What’s wrong with Third Miss Yun?”
“This morning, as soon as she entered the Hundred Lotus Sect’s mountain gate, she stepped on three piles of dog poop. Now she has to check her teacup for anything before she drinks. Tsk tsk tsk…”
Yun Jiujiu shook her head and sighed, asking:
“Why aren’t you with Young Master Xiao and the others?”
“They don’t let me play Mahjong…”
“Oh… I see.” Yun Jiujiu paused, then offered the gourd in her hand, “Want some?”
“No.”
Yun Jiujiu glanced at her, then took another large gulp herself. She spat out some spiritual liquid, wiped her mouth with her sleeve, and said, “Is it because of that person surnamed Pei?”
“Huh?”
“I can tell by your gloomy face! Everyone else on the way here was cheerful, but you’re radiating bad luck!”
Yun Jiujiu waved her hand, and as if fueled by the alcohol, she patted Feng Yu Die’s shoulder with an air of aged wisdom:
“Don’t stubbornly cling to what you shouldn’t. You and that Pei person have no luck at all. Figure it out sooner, find relief sooner.”
“I know.”
“I don’t think you do! If you know, why are you still looking so miserable! If you ask me, you should give up this thought… If you like that Pei person, you might as well like that Ye person. At least his luck is bigger…”
?
Feng Yu Die blinked, a frown creasing her brow: “You know?”
“After you cried at the Sword Sect that night, my sister was in a wheelchair the next day. I figured it must have been big…”
Feng Yu Die scratched the back of her head, somewhat confused. After a moment of silence, she asked:
“But I used to like Junior Sister Pei. She’s so handsome and capable…”
“Did she agree?”
Feng Yu Die was speechless and looked down in silence:
“…”
Yun Jiujiu shook her head, took another sip of wine, and hung the jade gourd back at her waist. She sighed:
“This is wrong. If you can’t hold on, let go! Didn’t I tell you last time, don’t be a sycophant!”
“Then what should I do…”
“What else can you do? Just tell her directly.” Yun Jiujiu jumped off the railing, grabbed Feng Yu Die’s shoulder, and said seriously, “Go and tell that Pei person right now that I don’t like you anymore! This will put an end to it, and then it will be over… You have to break the old to establish the new~”
Feng Yu Die’s mind was blank. She looked at Yun Jiujiu’s face, hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded:
“Okay…”
Slap, slap—!
Yun Jiujiu vigorously patted Feng Yu Die’s shoulder, gritted her teeth, and smiled:
“That’s the spirit! Let’s go!”
“Huh?”
“Let’s go now! I’ll go with you!”
“Ah… Wait!”
Without giving Feng Yu Die time to make excuses, Yun Jiujiu bumped her shoulder against Feng Yu Die’s stomach, summoned her flying sword, stepped on it, and carried Feng Yu Die as she carved a path of spiritual light around the main peak, flying towards the East Peak of the Hundred Lotus Sect.
The East Peak was a mountain that Ye Ao had designated for Ye Anping. Ye Anping didn’t return often, so it hadn’t been well-maintained. Now, only a few scattered pavilions stood at the peak.
The windows of these pavilions were already pasted with “囍” (double happiness) window decorations. Many ten-year-old young maidservants of the Hundred Lotus Sect, dressed in festive red skirts, were bustling around the pavilions, cleaning.
Liang Ating was also standing with her hands on her hips in front of the main pavilion, commanding these young maidservants like a general:
“That window decoration is a bit crooked! Re-stick it, then, scoop out all the green and black koi from the pond and replace them with red ones! Hehe… it needs to be more festive!”
“Yes~”
Auntie wouldn’t have time to practice sword fighting with her now that she was busy preparing for the wedding. Her adoptive father also had to focus on guarding the surroundings of the Hundred Lotus Sect. Liang Ating was incredibly relaxed now, doing whatever she wanted, sleeping whenever she pleased. Moreover, she had over a hundred young disciples of the Hundred Lotus Sect under her command, truly embodying the spirit of a mountain bandit chief.
Seeing a flying sword descend from the sky, Liang Ating turned her head and, upon seeing the silver hair, quickly ran over:
“Second Aunt, and this senior… Which aunt are you?”
Yun Jiujiu was taken aback. She raised her hand and tapped Liang Ating on the forehead, then set Feng Yu Die down from her shoulder:
“Is Pei Lianxue here?”
“Mm… Auntie is trying on her makeup.”
“Alright…” Yun Jiujiu nudged Feng Yu Die from behind and said, “Go! I’ll wait at the entrance.”
Feng Yu Die nodded blankly, as if she didn’t realize what she was supposed to do. She listened to Yun Jiujiu and walked towards the room.
However, Liang Ating stopped her:
“No, Second Aunt! Uncle told me to watch her. You’re not allowed to see her before the ceremony…”
Bang—!
Before she could finish speaking, Yun Jiujiu tapped her on the back of the neck and slung her over her shoulder.
Yun Jiujiu looked at Ating speechlessly, then gave Feng Yu Die another push:
“Go!”
Feng Yu Die looked at the door, hesitated for a moment:
“Maybe…”
Yun Jiujiu clenched her fist, resembling a small steamed bun, her forehead veins bulging, and gritted her teeth:
“Are you going or not? Believe me, I’ll beat you up!”
“…”
Feng Yu Die pouted, looked at the pavilion door with the “囍” window decorations, took a deep breath, and then stepped forward, pushed open the door, and walked into the pavilion.
Inside the first floor of the pavilion, several young maids were hanging lanterns in a game of shoulder-stacking, but they paid no attention to Feng Yu Die’s arrival. They glanced at her and then continued their work.
Feng Yu Die, feeling a little anxious, covered her chest. She ascended the red wooden stairs from the first floor to the seventh floor at the top. There, she heard Xiao Die’s voice from inside:
“Junior Sister Pei, this way is better~ I think this looks better…”
“I don’t understand makeup. Should we let Senior Brother see it first?”
“The bride can’t see the groom the day before the wedding. That’s the rule!”
“But what if Senior Brother doesn’t like it?”
“Miss Pei, even if you turned into a ghost, Young Master Ye wouldn’t dislike you. You grew up together, and you even bathed together when you were little… Don’t you remember?”
… …
Feng Yu Die listened to the conversation from the doorway. After hesitating for a long time, she raised her hand to knock on the door.
Bang, bang—!
“Coming! Who is it?…”
Xiao Die hurried to the door and pulled it open. Seeing Feng Yu Die standing outside with a worried expression, she asked, somewhat surprised:
“Fairy Feng, are you here to…”
“Can I speak with Junior Sister Pei for a moment?”
“…Mm.”
Feng Yu Die nodded thankfully. As Xiao Die moved aside, she slowly stepped over the threshold.
At the makeup table, Pei Lianxue, dressed in red, lifted the red veil above her head with both hands. She turned her head expressionlessly. The faint eyeshadow above her orange eyes shimmered with scattered pearl powder…
Feng Yu Die’s golden eyes widened slightly, and she pursed her lips. She suddenly wished that Junior Sister Pei had dressed like this for her, or that she could have dressed Pei Lianxue like this.
If only Pei Lianxue or she could embrace each other right now…
Unfortunately, the protagonists of this wedding were Junior Sister Pei and Young Master Ye.
She was merely a guest…
“…”
Feng Yu Die’s lips parted slightly. After hesitating for a long time, she couldn’t bring herself to speak. She suddenly wanted to turn and leave, but her heart kept telling her not to escape.
Seeing her frozen at the doorway, Pei Lianxue furrowed her brow slightly and tilted her head:
“Second idiot, what is it?”
The emotionless voice startled the indecisive Feng Yu Die. She took a deep breath, looked at Pei Lianxue’s heavily made-up face, curved her lips, and asked:
“Ah… Pei… Junior Sister Pei!! I like you!! From the very beginning, it was love at first sight for me. So… I don’t mind you marrying Young Master Ye. Young Master Ye is a very good person, but if possible, after you marry Young Master Ye, can you marry me or can I marry you!!!”
?
Xiao Die, who was supporting the door, almost petrified upon hearing this sentence.
Pei Lianxue was also stunned for a long time, but then she directly refused:
“No, I belong to Senior Brother.”
“This… Is that so…”
“Yes, that’s how it is.”
Feng Yu Die slowly lowered her head, as if she had already expected this answer. Her expression didn’t change much. She stood in place, fiddling with her hands:
“Isn’t there even a little bit of possibility…”
“No.”
Hearing Pei Lianxue’s decisive refusal once more, Feng Yu Die closed her eyes. Two small pearls squeezed out from the corners of her eyes. Yet, for some reason, she felt a sense of release.
Her stiff shoulders, which had been tense all the way up, were no longer stiff.
The congestion in her chest these past few days had cleared.
Just as Yun Jiujiu had said, you have to break the old to establish the new!
She liked Junior Sister Pei, but Junior Sister Pei didn’t like her, so she should let go.
Feng Yu Die raised her head, wiped the two tears from the corners of her eyes with her sleeve, and smiled, narrowing her eyes as she looked at Pei Lianxue:
“Junior Sister Pei, thank you.”
“…You’re welcome?”
“Thank you!! Thank you for giving me back to myself!!!”
“…”
“I wish Junior Sister Pei and Young Master Ye a happy wedding!!!”
After shouting loudly, Feng Yu Die took one last look at Pei Lianxue’s face, then turned and stepped out of the room.
Outside the pavilion railing, the setting sun sank below the horizon.
The dim yellow light fell on Feng Yu Die’s face, her clothes, and her silver hair, as if draping her in a light golden veil.
Now she could wholeheartedly like Young Master Ye.
“Hehe…”
With two light chuckles, Feng Yu Die leaped directly from the railing, landing steadily back in front of the pavilion door.
Yun Jiujiu, who was leaning against the pavilion door with her arms crossed, drinking, looked at Feng Yu Die descending from the sky and was momentarily stunned. She quickly put away her wine gourd and ran over, asking:
“Did you tell her…”
Halfway through her sentence, Feng Yu Die turned her head. Seeing Yun Jiujiu’s restored spirit, Yun Jiujiu’s furrowed brow also relaxed.
She slapped Feng Yu Die on the back and put her arm around her shoulder:
“Alright, alright, let’s go! Come drink with me!”
“Okay! Hehe…”
… …
