Chapter 63 - 60: A Harmonious Duet
"So this is where the wedding ceremony will be held?"
Xia Lianxue curiously studied the scene before her. The once-majestic great hall of Miao Yu Palace was now an ink-wash building, with blurry red paper-flower decorations hanging from pillars that were once carved white jade.
In the center of the hall stood two solid wood chairs, with some ink-wash sycees placed beside them. At a glance, it really did have the atmosphere of a wedding.
This was the first time Lu Changyuan had seen such a setup as well.
Throngs of Ink-Wash People bustled about, laughing and chatting, saying things like "what a joyous day" and "I never expected Ancestor Red Simurgh to get married."
"Hm?"
Amidst the crowd of Ink-Wash People, Lu Changyuan spotted a familiar figure.
White-haired and blindfolded, she held a birdcage in one hand, sipping tea from a seat in the corner on an ink-wash chair.
The corner of Lu Changyuan’s eye twitched. "Third Princess, why are you here?"
Su Youwan seemed to only just notice the two of them. She didn’t rise, instead saying, "As soon as I entered, I saw someone was holding a wedding. I thought I’d come over and bask in the joyous atmosphere."
’What a simple and unadorned reason.’
’Would a Female Bodhisattva who practices the Dao of Supreme Forgetfulness actually join in on the fun?’
Xia Lianxue peeked out from behind him and also stared at the Third Princess. She still remembered how the Third Princess had wanted to solidify their marriage contract before.
But her status now was different from back then, so her mindset had changed. The Little Fairy huffed, pulling Lu Changyuan to sit down next to Su Youwan.
Su Youwan maintained her usual air of perfect calm, as if nothing in the world could faze her. "Before I came in, I saw Jiang Jiayi of the Daoist Sect outside. She seemed to be fighting someone who was apparently unkillable."
Lu Changyuan frowned. Did the Illusion Moon Dao possess such a technique?
To be troublesome enough for even Jiang Jiayi... ’It has to be Ancestor Red Simurgh, no doubt about it.’
Su Youwan said softly, "It is said that the ancestor of Yuyue Immortal Palace fought a Great Demon known as the Painting Demon long ago. In the end, she sealed the Great Demon, but was herself possessed by it before she passed away in meditation."
Xia Lianxue poured a cup of tea for Lu Changyuan. He accepted it smoothly, drank it down, and then silently placed the cup back on the table.
It tasted of ink.
’How on earth does this Third Princess manage to drink ink with a straight face?’
Lu Changyuan sighed. "This Cultivation Realm is full of Old Monsters."
The Chang’an Daoist had cleaned house once back in the day, but he never expected an even older group of monsters to be hidden so deep.
’What a mess.’
’Back then, I shouldn’t have just focused on beating up Feng Xianlong. I should have given Yuyue Immortal Palace a thorough cleaning.’
Lu Changyuan turned his head to Xia Lianxue. "How long has that painting in your palace’s Scripture Pavilion been there?"
Xia Lianxue shook her head. "It was there at least since I first joined the palace."
’Then it’s all very clear.’
’That damned Ancestor Red Simurgh was possessed by the Painting Demon. She had no choice but to transform her body into a landscape painting, waiting at the top of the Scripture Pavilion’s tower for the next Red Simurgh Tribulation Body. And because she was possessed by the Painting Demon, she could remain as a painting for a long, long time, just waiting quietly.’
’Ancestor Red Simurgh deliberately passed down that verbal decree to lay the groundwork for her own return.’
’And so today, Ancestor Red Simurgh controlled Xian Qingqiu to unveil the scroll, then devoured her, fully activating her Magic.’
It was also easy to explain why she had waited until now to try and possess Xia Lianxue.
Because.
She couldn’t find her.
The Red Simurgh Tribulation Body only awakens upon Entering the Dao. Therefore, the best chance to possess Xia Yutang was after that point. As long as Xia Yutang stayed in Yuyue Immortal Palace long enough, her consciousness would be gradually eroded, until she was finally possessed by Ancestor Red Simurgh the moment she was about to enter the Yao Guang realm.
But as soon as Xia Yutang entered the Dao, she returned home only to find her Young Physician gone. When she came back, she went into seclusion and fell into a state of nothingness.
’How could anyone perform a Possession in a void of time?’
That would have been one thing, but when Xia Yutang emerged from that void, she was already at the Yao Guang realm. A Yao Guang cultivator honed in the river of time for a thousand years... Ancestor Red Simurgh had absolutely no chance.
If she had dared to show herself, the Miao Yu Palace Master, who had spent a hundred years slaughtering her way through turmoil, would have dared to betray her master and eliminate her own ancestor. She would have taught the founder of the Illusion Moon Dao the power of the Time Dao.
Furthermore, because Xia Yutang cultivated the Time Dao, the ancestor had to hide with extreme care to avoid letting Xia Yutang discover her traces within time itself.
Later, things took a turn. The Little Fairy began to walk the path of the Red Dust again, which gave Ancestor Red Simurgh another chance.
This time, as long as Xia Lianxue returned to the Fifth Realm, the ancestor planned to descend with lightning-fast methods and attempt Possession again before Xia Lianxue could recover her memories.
Even if she did recover her memories, Ancestor Red Simurgh was confident, because she was certain that Xia Lianxue would fail to transcend the Red Dust.
To ascend beyond the Yao Guang realm, she needed everyone to forget her.
But due to the special nature of the Red Simurgh Tribulation Body, Ancestor Red Simurgh always remembered Xia Lianxue. Therefore, it was impossible for the Little Fairy to make everyone forget her.
The plan seemed flawless.
But who could have known that this time, she would run right into Han Ze having Fallen into a Demon, and someone from the Daoist Sect arriving? Jiayi’s sword had locked down her main body, forcing her to burn through her foundations just to buy time to possess Xia Lianxue.
Even so, the Little Fairy still suffered a backlash from the Red Dust. Although she was still at the Yao Guang realm, she wasn’t necessarily stronger than the ancestor. The ancestor still had a chance.
But Ancestor Red Simurgh would never have imagined one thing.
Next to Xia Lianxue was the reincarnated Chang’an Daoist.
Lu Changyuan looked at Xia Lianxue with a complicated expression, not knowing what to say.
"Young Master, why are you looking at me like that?"
Xia Lianxue grew a little nervous under his gaze. She folded her hands properly in her lap, as prim and proper as a newlywed wife.
Lu Changyuan sighed. "I just don’t know whether to say you’re lucky or unlucky."
"I think I’m very lucky," the White Skirt Fairy said, tilting her head.
She truly felt that she was very lucky.
To be able to resolve her regrets at the very end.
An Ink-Wash Person hurried over, carrying a red groom’s outfit in its arms. "Sir, what are you doing sitting here? Please, follow me inside and change into your new clothes!"
Lu Changyuan glanced at Xia Lianxue. The Little Fairy puffed up her cheeks. "Go on. I want to see what Ancestor Red Simurgh is really up to."
The Third Princess took another sip of tea, seemingly quite fond of the taste of ink.
Seeing Lu Changyuan follow the Ink-Wash Person to change his clothes, Xia Lianxue sat up straight and stared directly at the Third Princess. "Miss Su, it’s been a long time."
Su Youwan frowned slightly, not understanding why Xia Lianxue’s demeanor had changed so drastically. She had already been puzzled when she sensed that Xia Lianxue’s aura was off today, and now she was completely baffled. "Why say this to me now?"
The Fairy just shook her head. "What did you think of the marriage proposal Noodle Granny mentioned before, Miss Su?"
Although she didn’t understand Xia Lianxue’s meaning, Su Youwan still answered, "I thought it was an excellent idea, but Young Master Lu did not seem to share that sentiment."
"It matters not." The gentle White Skirt Fairy’s eyes seemed to hold something hidden within them.
The Third Princess paused, then placed the lid on her teacup. "Why are you like him, never liking to answer people’s questions?"
"A wife should follow her husband’s lead, I suppose."
Xia Lianxue smiled.
The Third Princess said suddenly, "The Palace Master of the Sun and Moon Palace back then... was a woman."
The wind suddenly stopped.
The Fairy, who had always been as gentle and white as a poplar catkin, narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean by that?"
The Third Princess simply stood up, not answering Xia Lianxue’s question, as if in retaliation for Xia Lianxue not answering hers.