The wide great ship tore through spatial rifts, crushing its way into the clouds and mist. Some of the Transcendents looked down from above and saw the decorated Xueshi Castle below.
“We’ve arrived at Xueshi Castle!”
“Do you recall witnessing Dongbo’s life-and-death struggle fifty years ago? Even then, I sensed his extraordinary destiny. True to my foresight, he surpassed even the legendary Changfeng Knight in power—all within a mere century of cultivation! Yet fate turned cruel… The Witch God and the Great Demon Lord marked him for vengeance, extinguishing the brightest Transcendent our Xia Clan has ever known. The memory still cuts like a blade to this day!”
(Note: “巫神” and “大魔神” are rendered as “Witch God” and “Great Demon Lord” to align with fantasy naming conventions while preserving their ominous grandeur. “夏族” becomes “Xia Clan” to maintain cultural specificity within a fantasy context.)
“Today is Dongbo Xueying’s joyous occasion. Let’s not speak of those things anymore!”
“Right, a grand celebration! Let’s not mention anything else!”
The great ship slowly descended.
A beastman lionman stepped down first, followed by a group of Transcendents.
“Brother Tanshi,” Dongbo Xueying, dressed in red robes, and his wife, Yu Jingqiu, came forward to welcome him, “and all the Transcendents from the Sea God Palace.”
“Little brother Dongbo,” Tanshi said with a smile, “congratulations! You’ve succeeded in winning the most exquisite blossom among all the Transcendents of our Xia Clan. You can’t imagine how many Transcendents are secretly gnashing their teeth in envy!”
“Haha, no worries. Let them drink more today. After all, drinking can drown sorrows, right?” Dongbo joked, then added, “Oh, I haven’t congratulated Brother Tanshi yet for breaking through to the Demigod realm.”
“I just recently broke through,” Tanshi replied, “and the Palace Master didn’t allow me to participate in the assault on the Demon God Cult’s headquarters. I truly regret missing such a grand event.”
Tanshi, a newly promoted Demigod-level Knight of the Zuoqiu Order, had just broken through and was still stabilizing his power. He wouldn’t have been much help in the assault, so Palace Master Chen did not permit his participation. After all, Chi Qiubai and Tanshi were the two most outstanding Transcendents of their generation.
“There are other Transcendents arriving. I’ll go greet them first. Please, everyone, head inside!” Dongbo Xueying said, with Yu Jingqiu smiling beside him.
“Alright.”
The group of Transcendents from the Sea God Palace all entered the castle.
Dongbo Xueying and his wife then went to greet another group of Transcendents.
…
Transcendent weddings lacked the numerous rules and rituals of ordinary humans. Some Transcendents didn’t even bother holding a ceremony, given their long lifespans and free-spirited natures.
Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu also kept everything simple.
They personally accompanied each guest and shared a few drinks, essentially announcing to everyone present that they had officially become husband and wife.
“Come, Brother Changfeng, my wife and I would like to toast you,” Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu approached Chi Qiubai.
Chi Qiubai immediately stood up, though he tried his best to hide it, his expression still revealing some complexity. Dongbo and Yu Jingqiu understood this well—Transcendents had all heard that Chi Qiubai had once experienced a love tragedy. Since then, his hair turned white overnight, and he became even more obsessed with cultivation, advancing rapidly. However, everyone knew of the pain in his heart and generally avoided mentioning it.
“Xueying, Jingqiu,” Chi Qiubai said, “you two are both Transcendents of the Anyang Province, and I’ve always regarded you as my younger siblings. I was deeply pained when you faced such adversity. But the fact that you two can now be together is better than countless others. You must cherish each other.”
“Indeed,” Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu exchanged glances, unable to suppress smiles.
“Seeing the two of you so affectionate makes me uncomfortable. Go on, go drink with others!” Chi Qiubai urged.
Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu promptly left.
Chi Qiubai sat there, deliberately concealing his emotions, yet still poured himself one cup after another, his gaze deep and distant.
“Haha… Senior Brother Xueying, Senior Sister Jingqiu, come here, come here!”
“Wow, Senior Brother Xueying, wearing those red robes really suits you!”
A group from the Chiyun Mountain World had gathered.
Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu were both part of the Chiyun Mountain group and were very familiar with everyone, receiving toasts from all.
Senior Sister Rourou smiled broadly, Wen Yong’an remained cheerful, Wu Cang stayed silent as usual, only offering a dry “Congratulations” when toasted. Yu Feng, Puyang Bo, Zhang Peng, and others were much more lively.
“Senior Brother Xueying, Senior Sister Yu, seeing you two finally together makes me genuinely happy. I’ll drink first!” Yuan Qing, usually quiet, rarely took the initiative to drink.
Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu held a special fondness for this junior brother, chatting with him for a while. Yuan Qing was visibly excited.
“Senior Brother Xueying, Senior Sister Jingqiu,” a gentle, sweet voice sounded—it was Zhuo Yi.
Yu Jingqiu cast a half-smiling glance at Dongbo Xueying.
Zhuo Yi had feelings for Dongbo Xueying, a secret known to none in the Chiyun Mountain group.
“Seeing the two of you together is truly wonderful. Senior Sister will toast you as well,” Zhuo Yi said, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Toward this young man, she had once admired his talent and brilliance. When he was reprimanded by Overseer Sikong Yang, she had kept her distance. Later, when he rose again, she had secretly hoped to pursue him once more. However, Dongbo Xueying had always kept a certain distance from her, whether in glory or hardship.
Now, watching him shine brightly yet become a cripple with a limited lifespan, Zhuo Yi felt regret.
Yet, in the depths of her heart, she couldn’t help but wonder… if she could wed him, even for merely a century or two, becoming the consort of such a legendary figure in Xia history would be no small feat.
Unfortunately, from beginning to end, Dongbo Xueying had never shown any interest in her. His heart belonged solely to Senior Sister Yu Jingqiu.
…
Accompanied by countless Transcendents, sharing drinks and conversations with each. Most of the Xia Clan’s Demigods had only dispatched their astral projections—mere manifestations of mana—while their true forms remained stationed across the land. The world of the Xia Clan was anything but tranquil, its hidden undercurrents of tension eclipsing even the most tumultuous epochs of history. Ever watchful, the Xia Clan stood guard against the looming threats of the Sorcerer God and the Great Demon God.
The banquet ended, and guests departed.
By afternoon, the Transcendents began to leave one by one. To maintain his best condition throughout the day, Dongbo Xueying even took an antidote again! Yu Jingqiu felt somewhat reluctant, but Dongbo Xueying thought… this wedding day was extremely important to both him and Jingqiu. If he appeared pale and sweaty in front of his friends, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?
Fewer and fewer Transcendents remained in Xueshi Castle. Palace Master Chen exchanged a few words with Dongbo Xueying before departing.
“Xueying,” the last to leave was Chao Qing, who approached.
“Deputy Overseer Chao,” Dongbo Xueying greeted.
“You know about Redstone Mountain, right?” Chao Qing suddenly said.
“Yes,” Dongbo Xueying nodded.
“I will be entering Redstone Mountain soon,” Chao Qing continued, “I’m old, and before my time is up, I managed to forge my Divine Heart. So I’m going to Redstone Mountain to take a chance. Although the hope is slim, I’ll still give it my all. Who knows, maybe I’ll ascend to godhood! Hahaha… Actually, this is just a shot in the dark, a gamble. But I must say, I’m quite heartbroken for you, Xueying.”
A warmth stirred in Dongbo Xueying’s heart.
In truth, Chao Qing had always paid close attention to him and held him in high regard, perhaps because as one ages, one naturally cares more for the younger generation. Even when Overseer Sikong Yang had been deeply disappointed in him, Chao Qing still worried he might fall into despair.
“I, with my mediocre talent, managed to live until my time is up and forged my Divine Heart before my end. But you, with such extraordinary talent, having cultivated for less than a hundred years, ended up like this…” Chao Qing shook his head, genuinely pained. Dongbo Xueying had only been cultivating for nearly eighty years, which, for a Transcendent’s long life, was still like a child!
“Every soul is bound by its own destiny. There is no cause to curse the heavens or others,” spoke Xueying Dongbo. “In the ancient wars against the demonic hordes, many of our Xia Clan Transcendents laid down their lives. At least I still draw breath? I may yet share a century with my beloved. Such fortune is rare indeed. Among common folk, how many can claim joy equal to mine? Truly, I have surpassed countless mortal beings.”
Chao Qing nodded: “Xueying, your mindset has always been something I deeply admire. If I were your age and faced such a setback, I would have gone mad long ago.”
“By the way, how much does the Ghost Six Grievance Voodoo affect your cultivation?” Chao Qing inquired.
“It’s difficult,” Dongbo Xueying nodded. “Grasping the True Intent demands absolute focus. The Voodoo curse renders comprehension of the True Intent nearly impossible. Thankfully, I can still train in spear techniques.”
There were both disadvantages and advantages.
The disadvantage was… while practicing spear techniques, he might take some wrong paths. After all, without sufficient mental strength to judge right and wrong comprehensively.
The advantage was… he could shut out all distractions, even disregarding concerns about the True Meaning, and focus solely on making his spear techniques stronger! Regardless of whether the True Meaning was affected, as long as his spear techniques improved and became stronger, that was enough! After all, under intense pain, it was already difficult for him to focus on cultivating the True Meaning.
“With my wife by my side and something I enjoy doing, it’s not bad,” Chao Qing nodded. “Alright, old man, I’m off! Today might be our final farewell! Haha, if I really manage to ascend to godhood and survive Redstone Mountain, maybe we’ll meet again.”
“Wishing you success, Old Master Chao,” Dongbo Xueying said.
“Hehe, I know the hope is slim, but being able to visit Redstone Mountain before my death still gets my old heart racing with excitement!” Chao Qing laughed heartily, then transformed into a streak of light, soaring into the sky.
Dongbo Xueying looked up.
Would he ever have the chance to see this lovable old man again?
For some unknown reason… although he had never met his grandfather, in Old Master Chao, he felt the presence of a grandfather.
“Old Master Chao, take care!” Dongbo Xueying silently whispered.
…
Staying at Xueshi Castle for three months, Dongbo Xueying arranged everything he needed to. He gave the “Transcendent Seven-Leaf Flower” to his parents. Then, on a summer morning, Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu set off together on a journey across the world!
“Brother, write often. I’ll visit you frequently,” Qing Shi shouted loudly.
“Hahaha… Don’t worry!”
On the road down Xueshi Mountain.
Two snow-steeds galloped forward, Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu each riding one, riding freely and joyfully, setting off together on their journey across the world.
“You promised, remember? Always stay with me, travel every corner of the world, taste delicacies from everywhere, admire every scenery. Don’t you dare go back on your word.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll obey you completely. If you tell me to go left, I won’t dare go right. If you tell me to go forward, I won’t dare go back. How’s that? Am I obedient enough?”
“Yep, yep, very good, very good.”
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