Chapter 62 - 59: Separating the Clear from the Turbid
DRIP. DRIP. DRIP.
The sound of the rain was crisp and pleasant.
Lu Changyuan opened his eyes.
Before him was still Miao Yu Palace, and in his arms, still the beautiful Fairy.
They seemed to be in a pavilion. Gauze curtains, a simple bed—everything was so normal, except for the white skeleton lying in the corner.
"Sir?"
Xia Lianxue opened her eyes. Lu Changyuan grunted in acknowledgment and walked over to the skeleton, examining it carefully.
Sixth Realm Kai Yang.
Before its death, this skeleton was at the Sixth Realm Kai Yang.
"Sir, this is... Senior Sister Han Lian!?"
Xia Lianxue cried out in alarm, having recognized the skeleton.
Lu Changyuan couldn’t help but glance over, repeating, "Han Lian?"
He remembered Xia Lianxue saying not long ago, while they were in the sky, that it was Han Lian who had led Han Ze onto the Immortal Path.
"Yes, Sir. Senior Sister Han Lian was another of Master’s disciples. She probably entered the palace about a hundred years before I did. When I arrived, she was already at the Fifth Realm."
Han Lian was even a bit older than Han Shui.
Xia Lianxue crouched down, her voice tinged with sadness. "Senior Sister Han Lian was the one who constructed that small town with an Illusion Technique back then. I used to bully her a lot after that."
The Little Fairy’s temper wasn’t the best back then. When it flared up, she liked to hit people, and as the one who carried out the "Severing Dusty Fate," Han Lian naturally couldn’t escape a vicious beating.
But about three hundred years ago, Han Lian suddenly disappeared.
It was very sudden. There were no signs, and no one knew where she had gone. Miao Yu Palace searched for years but found no trace of her. To think she had disappeared into a painting all along.
With Xia Lianxue’s explanation jogging his memory, Lu Changyuan recalled such a person. "She cultivated... the Illusion Moon Dao?"
"Yes, Senior Sister Han Lian cultivated the Illusion Moon Dao."
’The same Illusion Moon Dao as Ancestor Red Simurgh?’
From out of nowhere, a burst of festive suona music erupted, so loud it was painful to the ears.
Lu Changyuan and Xia Lianxue exchanged a look, then opened the pavilion door to look outside.
A fine drizzle was falling from the sky—the same unsettling ink-black rain. But the most bizarre thing was the surrounding environment.
Except for the pavilion they were in, the rest of the scenery looked as if it had been ripped from a painting. Ethereal towers and halls were rendered in only black and white, and a majestic grand palace looked like a solid mass of ink-wash.
’The world is only black and white?’
The suona music grew closer. A splash of red suddenly appeared in the distance, and the music was coming from it.
Looking closer, they saw it was an entire procession of Ink-Wash People. This group wore festive red silk sashes and had large, red paper flowers pinned to their chests.
’Is this... a wedding procession?’
The Ink-Wash Person playing the suona took a few quick steps to get in front of Lu Changyuan and bowed deeply.
"My lord, why are you still here? If we delay any longer, you’ll miss the auspicious time."
’Auspicious time?’
An amused expression crossed Lu Changyuan’s face. He was curious to see what this damned Ancestor Red Simurgh was up to. "What auspicious time?"
The Ink-Wash Person said, "Today is your wedding day! Why are you still here? Please, come with us quickly."
"My wedding day? How interesting. I wonder who I’m supposed to be marrying?"
Xia Lianxue hugged Lu Changyuan tightly. The Little Fairy blinked. She knew they were in a dangerous situation, but she couldn’t stop her mind from wandering.
The Ink-Wash Person said hastily, "Why, Miss Red Simurgh, of course! The two of you are childhood sweethearts. Miss Red Simurgh has achieved great success in her Cultivation, yet she has not forgotten the bond you two shared. She brought you here to the Immortal Palace for the sole purpose of marrying you."
"You mean Ancestor Red Simurgh from Yuyue Immortal Palace?"
The Ink-Wash Person nodded repeatedly. "Precisely! However, the Ancestor doesn’t wish for you to call her ’Ancestor.’ She says it makes her sound old. Just call her Miss Red Simurgh."
Lu Changyuan took the Little Fairy’s hand. "But I already have a wife here with me. Don’t tell me your Miss Red Simurgh wants to be my concubine?"
The Ink-Wash Person said, "What are you talking about? There’s no one beside you. Now, hurry and come with me to the wedding ceremony, or you’ll miss the auspicious time."
’It seems these Ink-Wash People can’t see Xia Lianxue.’
Tired of wasting words, Lu Changyuan sent a slash of his sword and annihilated the entire procession. The Ink-Wash People dissolved into ink, and their red silks bled into a crimson color before being quickly diluted and washed away by the falling rain.
Xia Lianxue said playfully, "Sir, you’re certainly popular with the ladies. First, the Little Ancestor of Compassionate Palace, then the chief True Inheritor of Miao Yu Palace, then the Miao Yu Palace Master, and now even the Ancestor of Yuyue Immortal Palace wants to marry you."
Lu Changyuan exasperatedly tapped her on the head. "What are you thinking about?"
Xia Lianxue hugged his arm. "It would be pretty good if you married her."
Perhaps because Lu Changyuan was by her side, the Little Fairy simply gave up on thinking for herself.
’That’s probably for the best.’
Lu Changyuan thought to himself. ’It’s better not to tell the Little Fairy that their esteemed Ancestor has her sights set on this youthful, beautiful body of hers.’
Xia Lianxue smiled gently, as if there was nothing to fear as long as Lu Changyuan was with her. "Sir, I really don’t mind if you marry a few more."
Lu Changyuan tapped her on the head again.
The suona music rang out again.
The same procession of Ink-Wash People reappeared before them.
"My lord, please come with me, or you’ll miss the auspicious time."
Lu Changyuan narrowed his eyes, then looked up. The Bai Hen was missing from the sky. They were most likely inside a painting.
’How do we get out?’
’Cut the painting open with my sword?’
’That’s not very realistic.’
’Why is that Ancestor Red Simurgh doing all this?’
’And what’s this whole marriage charade about?’
"My lord? My lord! Miss Red Simurgh is already waiting."
"Sir, should we just go along and see what happens?"
Lu Changyuan circulated the Supreme Pure Spirit Forget Immortal Technique and tapped a finger to the spot between Xia Lianxue’s eyebrows.
Xia Lianxue asked, confused, "Sir?"
"Let’s go. We’ll go have a look."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jiang Jiayi’s brow was deeply furrowed.
She had already killed the Ancestor Red Simurgh before her thirteen times, yet her opponent revived every single time.
’So relentless.’
She looked up. The rain had stopped, but the entire Miao Yu Palace had grown hazy and illusory, as if it were about to vanish.
Above Miao Yu Palace hung an enormous landscape painting. Each time Jiang Jiayi killed the illusory Ancestor Red Simurgh, a new one would regenerate from within the painting.
The most troublesome part was that this Ancestor Red Simurgh possessed power comparable to the Seventh Realm, making it a difficult fight for Jiang Jiayi.
It took a full five strikes of her sword to cut the woman down.
"Is it using the entire Miao Yu Palace as the price for its regeneration?"
Jiang Jiayi snorted.
She couldn’t be bothered to fight with Ancestor Red Simurgh any longer, so she simply leveled her sword and pointed it directly at the painting.
An incredibly pure Sword Intent began to rise from within her. The space in all directions was violently torn asunder as an endless momentum built up, finally coalescing into a terrifying torrent.
Qiu Yuehan stared, transfixed, at the Sword Immortal’s blade. Her hand, however, rested on her ankle, where a jade bracelet was clasped. It was the only thing her parents, whom she had never met, had left for her.
And now, that bracelet was squeezing so tightly it hurt.