“How could that be?” Mei Qing exclaimed in astonishment. “The elderly-looking one sitting must be your aunt, right? And the young, pretty one standing there—she looks more like your sister. Are you saying she’s your grandmother?”
“What’s so strange about that?” Bi Zhen laughed. “Can’t you tell by now that cultivators can’t be judged by ordinary standards of age? You’ve been cultivating for quite some time now, haven’t you figured this out yet?”
Mei Qing was momentarily at a loss for words. Truthfully, his cultivation skills were indeed quite good, but in terms of experience, he still had much to learn. Thus, he often instinctively viewed things through the lens of ordinary people, sometimes leading to misunderstandings.
“Ah… you know, you look quite a bit like your grandmother,” Mei Qing changed the subject. “I’m sure when you grow older, you’ll still be as youthful and beautiful as her.”
Bi Zhen shook her head. “Of course! I take after my mother, and she takes after my grandmother. I definitely won’t turn out like that old man!”
Mei Qing nodded in agreement, then asked curiously, “You said the one sitting is your aunt, but why, when I was inside, did I only hear your aunt speaking while your grandmother never said a word?”
Bi Zhen shook her head again. “You wouldn’t know. I was going to tell you before, but I never got the chance. My grandmother is currently practicing some technique and cannot speak. Since she’s too lazy to constantly use her spiritual consciousness, she had my aunt learn a special skill. Whatever my grandmother wants to say, my aunt can speak it aloud without even needing to use her mind. So, everything my aunt says is actually on behalf of my grandmother.”
Mei Qing found this fascinating, never having heard of such a unique technique. It seemed Bi Zhen’s grandmother was indeed quite a character.
As the two chatted and laughed, they suddenly heard a soft hum in their ears. This time, it wasn’t a spiritual message—they both heard it clearly. Bi Zhen stuck out her tongue and whispered, “Uh-oh, Grandma heard us talking behind her back. Let’s get out of here!”
They didn’t speak further, as they were still within the formation and couldn’t easily use magic. They quickened their pace, following the winding mountain path until they finally stepped outside the mountain gate. When they reached the cliff, Bi Zhen patted her chest in relief, saying, “That was scary. But today Grandma was acting a bit strange, wasn’t she? Didn’t you notice she seemed to agree from the beginning? And she didn’t question you much before letting you out—don’t you think that’s odd?”
Mei Qing replied, “What’s so strange about that? With my charm and charisma… I mean, Grandma has seen so much in her life and has such sharp eyes. Of course she could tell right away I’m trustworthy, so she entrusted you to me.”
“How do you know Grandma entrusted me to you?” Bi Zhen rolled her eyes. “Have I agreed to marry you already?”
“What?” Mei Qing was surprised. “You mean you haven’t agreed yet? Then why did you bring me here?”
Bi Zhen explained confidently, “Grandma said someone like you looks good, has strong abilities, and knows how to flatter people, but is the least reliable. She told me not to agree to you easily. I should wait a while, make you anxious and restless, before reluctantly accepting. Otherwise, you won’t know how to cherish me.”
Mei Qing asked nervously, “So… how long are you planning to wait?”
Bi Zhen looked a bit troubled. “Grandma said no matter how long I wait, a woman should still get married eventually. Staying a cultivator forever would be a loss. But should I go back to the Emperor and ask to return to secular life? That might not be so good…”
Mei Qing was delighted. “So you’re willing to return to secular life? That’s great! What’s so hard about talking to the Emperor? Men should marry when they’re grown up, and women too. Just go and ask him openly.”
Bi Zhen frowned. “It’s not that easy! Back then, I caused so much trouble just to become a nun, and I said such harsh things to that old man. Now suddenly wanting to return to secular life and get married—how can I possibly bring it up?”
Mei Qing asked, “Then what should we do? Are we really going to live like this forever? Our eldest daughter already calls you ‘young mistress.’ You wouldn’t really want to wear your Daoist robes in our house forever, would you?”
Bi Zhen suddenly got annoyed. “What’s wrong with wearing Daoist robes? Let them accuse you of ruining my cultivation. Just try to stop me!”
Mei Qing suddenly chuckled. Bi Zhen glared at him. “What are you laughing at? Making fun of me?”
Mei Qing suddenly summoned his spirit crane, scooped Bi Zhen onto its back, and guided the crane to take off. As they soared into the sky, he leaned close to her ear and whispered, “I don’t care. If you dare to marry me in Daoist robes, I’ll dare to marry you in them too!”
Bi Zhen, wrapped in his arms, had long forgotten her annoyance. Still, she muttered, “As if I was in a hurry to marry you… Oops, I forgot! Grandma told me not to agree to you too quickly…”
The two flew off on the crane, disappearing behind the distant mountains in no time.
Suddenly, the two rocks where they had just stood began to move. They gradually rose and transformed into two human figures—Liu Ye and Zhong Shu.
Zhong Shu, dressed like a traveling merchant in a fur-lined coat and cap, with boots on his feet and his hands clasped behind his back, said smugly, “See? My plan was brilliant, wasn’t it? I told you that your ‘Taian’ master has the stubbornness of a donkey—won’t move forward when pulled, only retreats when pushed. She hates you even more, so whatever you say, she’ll do the opposite to spite you. If you loudly oppose Mei Qing, saying absolutely no way will you allow Bi to marry him, that madwoman—your future mother-in-law—will definitely support the marriage. So, how about that? My plan deserves great credit, don’t you think?”
Liu Ye, with messy hair, a bruised face, and disheveled clothes, gritted his teeth. “You old bastard, still bragging! Where were you when that madwoman started cursing me out earlier? You didn’t see how furious she was—she nearly blasted me into oblivion and even destroyed one of my protective talismans! Want credit? You owe me a new ‘Seven Silk Ties of the Upper Clarity’ first!”
Zhong Shu shrugged. “Come on, Liu Ye, you’re grown up now. Why so petty? One broken ribbon for a daughter and a good son-in-law—how can you say it’s not worth it? I worked hard as a matchmaker, not even getting a thank you, and now I’m getting blamed instead?”
Liu Ye sighed. “Fine, you’re right. But I got scolded and beaten, playing the villain all day, while those two lovebirds are happy. And I still haven’t even started on adopting a daughter yet!”
Zhong Shu grinned. “Why the rush? Things must be done step by step. First, settle the marriage. Then, you need to talk to the Emperor quickly, so he doesn’t get soft-hearted and agree to Bi’s request to return to secular life, cutting off her escape route. After that, someone needs to guide the girl a bit, and she’ll surely comply.”
Liu Ye frowned. “That’s easier said than done. You know how stubborn she is. If she gets upset, she won’t turn back even if she hits a wall.”
Zhong Shu smirked. “Of course you can’t do it. You need someone Bi listens to most. I guarantee it’ll work.”
“You mean her grandmother?” Liu Ye shuddered. “You want me to ask that madwoman to talk to Bi? No way! I still want to live a few more centuries!”
Zhong Shu rolled his eyes. “You really are a blockhead! I meant Mei Qing, of course. You saw it yourself—like tofu curdled with brine, one thing overpowers another. No matter how stubborn Bi is with you, with Mei Qing, she’ll obey him like a charm. We’ve done all the work, so shouldn’t Mei Qing put in some effort too? After all, it’s his bride he’s getting. Naturally, it’s his job to convince her.”
Liu Ye frowned. “But if Bi trusts Mei Qing so easily, what if he betrays her? Let me warn you clearly—we must set the rules straight now. If Mei Qing dares to mistreat Bi after marriage, don’t blame me for turning on him!”
Zhong Shu scoffed. “Please! With you as her father and that madwoman as her grandmother, who in the world would dare to bully her? I’m more worried Mei Qing, being so gentle and kind, will be bossed around by your daughter!”
Liu Ye frowned again. “I don’t know what’s gotten into the Emperor today. No matter how I argued, he wouldn’t budge. Finally, I even told him I wanted to get married, but he still said…”
“What did he say?” Mei Qing asked anxiously.
“He said marriage must be decided by parents. He agreed to my returning to secular life, but only if I first acknowledged that old man as my father and got his approval,” Bi Zhen said bitterly.
Mei Qing, knowing the strained relationship between Bi Zhen and her father, asked cautiously, “So what did you say?”
“I said I’d rather be a nun forever than acknowledge him as my father,” Bi Zhen muttered, her voice losing its earlier confidence as she glanced nervously at Mei Qing.
“How is this possible?” Mei Qing was dumbfounded. “The one sitting looks like she’s in her seventies or eighties, and she’s your aunt? The one standing is young and beautiful, she could easily pass as your sister, and she’s your grandmother?”
“What’s so strange about that? Can’t you figure it out?” Bi Zhen laughed. “How can you judge the age of a cultivator with the eyes of a mortal? You’ve been cultivating for a while now, shouldn’t you understand this?”
Mei Qing was momentarily speechless. To be honest, Mei Qing’s cultivation level was quite decent, but in terms of time, it hadn’t been that long. Therefore, when it came to many things, he still tended to analyze them from the perspective of a mortal, which sometimes led to misunderstandings.
“Well… you look a lot like your grandmother,” Mei Qing changed the subject. “I suppose in the future, you’ll be just as young and beautiful as her.”
Bi Zhen shook her head. “Of course. I take after my mother, and my mother takes after my grandmother. I definitely won’t take after that old man.”
Mei Qing nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Bi Zhen’s reasoning, but then he asked curiously, “You said the one sitting is your aunt, but why is it that when I was inside, I only heard your aunt speaking, and your grandmother didn’t say a word?”
Bi Zhen shook her head. “You don’t know. I wanted to tell you earlier, but I didn’t get the chance. My grandmother is practicing some kind of technique that prevents her from speaking. She’s too lazy to use telepathy all the time, so she taught my aunt a skill that allows her to speak whatever my grandmother is thinking without needing to use her mind. So, when my aunt speaks, she’s actually speaking for my grandmother.”
Mei Qing found this incredibly fascinating. He had never heard of such a unique method. It seemed that Bi Zhen’s grandmother was truly a character.
As the two of them chatted and laughed, they suddenly heard a soft snort in their ears. This time, it wasn’t telepathy; both of them heard it clearly. Bi Zhen stuck out her tongue and said, “Oh no, my grandmother heard us. She’s annoyed that we’re talking about her behind her back. Let’s go!”
Without another word, and since they were in the middle of a formation, they couldn’t use any spells. They simply quickened their pace, following the winding mountain path until they exited the mountain gate. When they reached the cliff again, Bi Zhen patted her chest and said, “That was scary. But today, my grandmother seemed a bit strange. It felt like she was planning to agree from the very beginning. Don’t you think it’s odd that she didn’t interrogate you much before letting you go?”
Mei Qing said, “What’s so strange about that? A dashing man like me… I mean, your grandmother has seen the world, and her eyes are sharp. Of course, she could tell at a glance that I’m trustworthy, which is why she entrusted you to me.”
“How do you know my grandmother entrusted me to you?” Bi Zhen rolled her eyes. “Did I agree to marry you?”
“What?” Mei Qing was surprised. “You don’t agree? Then why did you bring me here?”
“My grandmother said that guys like you, who are good-looking, powerful, and sweet-talkers, are the hardest to trust. She told me not to agree to you too easily. I have to drag it out, make you anxious and desperate, before I can reluctantly agree. Otherwise, you won’t know how to cherish me.” Bi Zhen spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“…So how many years are you planning to drag it out?” Mei Qing asked nervously.
Bi Zhen looked a bit troubled. “My grandmother said that no matter how long I drag it out, it’s still better for a woman to get married. Being a lifelong Dao companion is too much of a loss. But should I really go to the Emperor and ask to leave the Dao? That doesn’t seem right…”
Mei Qing, however, was overjoyed. “Zhen’er, are you willing to leave the Dao? That’s great! What’s so hard about talking to the Emperor? Men should marry, and women should marry. Just go and tell him openly.”
“It’s not that easy!” Bi Zhen said with frustration. “When I decided to become a Daoist, I made a huge fuss and said everything I could to that old man. Now, suddenly, I want to leave the Dao and get married. How can I bring that up?”
“What should we do then?” Mei Qing asked. “Are we really going to live like this for the rest of our lives? Our eldest daughter already calls you ‘young mistress.’ Are you planning to wear Daoist robes and be the young mistress of our family?”
Bi Zhen suddenly got annoyed. “What’s wrong with wearing Daoist robes? Let them accuse you of ruining my cultivation. If you’re scared, then don’t bother me!”
Mei Qing suddenly chuckled. Bi Zhen glared at him. “What are you laughing at? Are you making fun of me?”
Mei Qing summoned a spirit crane, picked up Bi Zhen, and placed her on its back. He urged the crane to spread its wings and gently took off, leaning close to Bi Zhen’s ear and saying, “I don’t care. If you dare to marry me in Daoist robes, I dare to marry you!”
Bi Zhen, being held by Mei Qing, felt her body go soft, and she forgot her annoyance. She said, “As if I’m in a hurry to marry you… Oh no, I forgot, my grandmother said I can’t agree to you so quickly…”
The two of them flew away on the crane, and soon they disappeared behind the distant mountains, leaving no trace.
Suddenly, the two unremarkable rocks where they had mounted the crane began to move, gradually rising until they turned into two human figures—Sixth Master and Uncle Zhong.
Uncle Zhong was dressed like a trader from the northeast, wearing a dog fur coat, a fur hat, and leather boots. He crossed his arms and said, “So? My idea wasn’t bad, was it? I told you, your mother-in-law is as stubborn as a mule. If you push her, she won’t budge; if you pull her, she’ll retreat. She doesn’t like you at all, and no matter what you say, she’ll never be satisfied. As long as you curse Mei Qing in front of her, saying you absolutely don’t agree to this marriage and won’t let Bi Zhen marry him, that crazy—your mother-in-law—will definitely support the marriage. So, my plan is a great success, isn’t it?”
Sixth Master, on the other hand, had disheveled hair, a face covered in bruises, and his clothes were in complete disarray. He gritted his teeth and said, “You old fool, stop bragging! When that crazy woman was cursing me, why didn’t you step in and take credit? You didn’t see how she was, she almost killed me on the spot, and she even destroyed one of my protective artifacts! You want credit? First, pay me back for my Seven Silk Bind!”
“Sixth, you’re a grown man, why are you still so stingy?” Uncle Zhong said dismissively. “A piece of broken ribbon in exchange for a daughter and a good son-in-law—isn’t that the best deal in the world? I’ve been busy playing matchmaker all this time, and instead of thanks, I get complaints?”
“Alright, alright, you’re right,” Sixth Master said weakly. “But I got beaten and cursed, and I played the villain for half the day. The young couple is happy, but I still haven’t even acknowledged my daughter yet.”
Uncle Zhong grinned. “What’s the rush? Things have to be done step by step. First, we settle the marriage, then you need to quickly talk to the Emperor and make sure he doesn’t agree to Bi Zhen leaving the Dao, cutting off her retreat. After that, someone needs to guide the girl, and she’ll surely fall in line.”
“The Emperor is easy to deal with. At worst, I’ll swallow my pride. He’s quite concerned about our father-daughter relationship. The problem is, who’s going to talk to Bi Zhen about this? You know her temper. If things don’t go well, she’ll hit a wall and refuse to turn back.” Sixth Master was deeply worried.
“Of course, you can’t be the one to talk to her,” Uncle Zhong said mysteriously. “You need to find someone Bi Zhen is most willing to listen to. That’ll guarantee success.”
“Her grandmother?” Sixth Master shivered. “You want me to ask that crazy woman to talk to Bi Zhen? No way! I still want to live a few more centuries!”
“Blockhead!” Uncle Zhong looked at him with disappointment. “You only think of asking your mother-in-law for help. The girl’s grown up now. Do you think she’s still as close to her grandmother as she was when she was a child? She’s long since tossed you elders to the back of her mind!”
“You mean Mei Qing?” Sixth Master finally caught on.
“Of course! Didn’t you see it just now? Like brine solidifying tofu, one thing conquers another. No matter how much Bi Zhen argues with you, when it comes to Mei Qing, she’ll listen to whatever he says. We’ve been busy all this time, and Mei Qing can’t just reap the benefits without putting in any effort. After all, he’s the one marrying her, so it’s only natural that he should be the one to convince her.” Uncle Zhong spoke with confidence.
Sixth Master, however, frowned deeply. “If Bi Zhen trusts Mei Qing so easily, what if he deceives her? Old man, let me tell you this upfront: if Mei Qing dares to make Bi Zhen suffer even a little after they’re married, don’t blame me for turning against him!”
“Come on!” Uncle Zhong said. “With a father like you and a grandmother like that crazy woman, who in the world would dare to bully her? I’m more worried that Mei Qing, being so honest and straightforward, will be bullied by your daughter and won’t be able to fight back!”
“I don’t know what’s gotten into the Emperor today,” Bi Zhen said through gritted teeth as she plucked bamboo leaves in Mei Qing’s courtyard, tearing them into tiny pieces. “No matter what I said, he wouldn’t budge. In the end, I even said I wanted to get married, and he said…”
“What did he say?” Mei Qing asked with concern. “He said that marriage is a matter for parents to decide. If I want to get married, I can leave the Dao, but I have to first acknowledge that old man as my father. Only if he agrees will it count.” Bi Zhen said with resentment.
“Ah… so what did you say, Zhen’er?” Mei Qing, knowing the complicated relationship between Bi Zhen and her father, asked with some worry.
“I said I’d rather be a Daoist nun for the rest of my life than acknowledge him as my father.” Bi Zhen suddenly lost her confidence, lowered her head, and whispered, while secretly glancing at Mei Qing’s expression.
“Aqing, it’s not that I don’t want to marry you… can you give me some time to figure this out? I really don’t want to acknowledge him.” Seeing that Mei Qing seemed a bit unhappy, Bi Zhen quickly spoke softly.
“…It’s fine. We’ve gotten through tougher times before. I don’t believe this will stop us. At worst, I’ll elope with you!” Seeing Bi Zhen’s soft plea, Mei Qing didn’t want to make things difficult for her and quickly comforted her.
“Elope? That’s right! If it comes to it, we can hide in that place by Jieshi where the thousand-gold smelter is. They’ll never find us.” Bi Zhen’s eyes sparkled. “We can cultivate there for a few decades or even a century, and then ascend together. By then, they won’t know where to find us!”
“How is this possible?” Mei Qing was dumbfounded. “The one sitting looks like she’s in her seventies or eighties, and she’s your aunt? The one standing is young and beautiful, almost like your sister, and she’s your grandmother?”
“What’s so strange about that? Can’t you figure it out?” Bi Zhen laughed. “How can you judge the age of a cultivator by ordinary standards? You’ve been cultivating for so long, don’t you understand this yet?”
Mei Qing was momentarily speechless. To be honest, Mei Qing’s cultivation level was indeed quite good, but in terms of time, it wasn’t that long. Therefore, when it came to many things, he still tended to analyze them from a mundane perspective, which sometimes led to misunderstandings.
“Well… looking at you, you seem to resemble your grandmother a lot,” Mei Qing changed the subject. “I suppose in the future, you’ll definitely be as young and beautiful as her.”
Bi Zhen shook her head. “Of course. I take after my mother, and my mother takes after my grandmother. I certainly won’t take after that old man.”
Mei Qing nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Bi Zhen’s logic, but then asked curiously, “You said the one sitting is your aunt, but why is it that when I was inside, I only heard your aunt speaking, and your grandmother didn’t say a word?”
Bi Zhen shook her head. “You don’t know this. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t get the chance. My grandmother is practicing some kind of technique that prevents her from speaking. She’s too lazy to use her spiritual sense all the time, so she taught my aunt a skill that allows her to speak whatever my grandmother is thinking without needing to use her spiritual sense. So, when my aunt speaks, she’s actually speaking for my grandmother.”
Mei Qing found this incredibly fascinating. He had never heard of such a unique method. It seemed that Bi Zhen’s grandmother was indeed quite a character.
As the two of them chatted and laughed, they suddenly heard a soft snort. This time, it wasn’t a spiritual message; both of them heard it clearly. Bi Zhen stuck out her tongue. “Oh no, my grandmother heard us. She’s annoyed that we’re talking about her behind her back. Let’s go!”
They didn’t say anything more. Since they were in the middle of a formation, they couldn’t use any spells. They had to quicken their pace and follow the winding mountain path until they finally stepped out of the mountain gate. When they reached the cliff again, Bi Zhen patted her chest. “That was scary. But today, my grandmother seemed a bit strange. It felt like she was planning to agree from the very beginning. Don’t you think she didn’t interrogate you too much before letting you go?”
Mei Qing said, “What’s so strange about that? A man as dashing as me… I mean, your grandmother has seen the world for a long time. With her sharp eyes, she could tell at a glance that I’m trustworthy, so she entrusted you to me.”
“How do you know my grandmother entrusted me to you?” Bi Zhen rolled her eyes. “Did I agree to marry you?”
“What?” Mei Qing was surprised. “You don’t agree? Then why did you bring me here?”
“My grandmother said that someone like you, who looks good, has great skills, and is sweet-talking, is the most unreliable. She told me not to agree to you too easily. I have to drag it out for a while, make you anxious and desperate, before I can reluctantly agree. Otherwise, you won’t know how to cherish me.” Bi Zhen spoke as if she had it all figured out.
“…So how many years are you planning to drag it out?” Mei Qing asked nervously.
Bi Zhen looked a bit troubled. “My grandmother said that no matter how long I drag it out, it’s still better for a woman to get married. Being a lifelong Daoist companion is too much of a loss. But should I really go to the Emperor and ask to leave the Dao? That doesn’t seem right…”
Mei Qing, however, was overjoyed. “Zhen’er, are you willing to leave the Dao? That’s great! What’s so hard about talking to the Emperor? Men should marry, and women should marry. Just go and tell him openly.”
“It’s not that easy!” Bi Zhen said with frustration. “Back then, when I decided to become a Daoist, I made a huge fuss and completely cut ties with that old man. Now, suddenly, I want to leave the Dao and get married. How can I say that?”
“What should we do then?” Mei Qing asked. “Are we really going to live like this for the rest of our lives? Our eldest daughter already calls you ‘young mistress.’ Are you planning to wear Daoist robes and be the young mistress of our family?”
Bi Zhen suddenly got annoyed. “What’s wrong with wearing Daoist robes? Let them accuse you of ruining my cultivation. If you’re scared, then don’t bother me!”
Mei Qing suddenly chuckled. Bi Zhen glared at him. “What are you laughing at? Are you mocking me?”
Mei Qing suddenly summoned a spirit crane, picked up Bi Zhen, and placed her on its back. He urged the crane to spread its wings and gently took off. He leaned close to Bi Zhen’s ear and said, “I don’t care. If you dare to marry me in Daoist robes, I dare to marry you!”
Bi Zhen, being held by Mei Qing, felt her body go soft and forgot her annoyance. She said, “As if I’m in a hurry to marry you… Oh no, I forgot. My grandmother already said I can’t agree to you so quickly…”
The two of them flew away on the crane, and soon they disappeared behind the distant mountains, leaving no trace.
Suddenly, in the spot where they had mounted the crane, two inconspicuous rocks began to move. They gradually rose and eventually transformed into two human figures—Sixth Master and Uncle Zhong.
Uncle Zhong was dressed like a trader from the northeast, wearing a dog fur coat, a fur hat, and leather boots. He crossed his arms and said, “How about that? My idea was pretty good, right? I told you, your Lord Tai’an is as stubborn as a mule. If you push him, he won’t move; if you hit him, he’ll retreat. He doesn’t like you at all. No matter what you say, he’ll definitely not be satisfied. As long as you curse Mei Qing in front of him, saying you absolutely don’t agree to this marriage and won’t let Bi Zhen marry him, that crazy—your mother-in-law—will definitely support this marriage wholeheartedly. How about it? My plan deserves a big reward, doesn’t it?”
Sixth Master, however, had disheveled hair, a face covered in bruises, and his clothes were in complete disarray. He gritted his teeth and said, “You old bastard, you’re still bragging! Why didn’t you step in and take credit when that crazy woman was cursing me? You didn’t see how she was. She almost blasted me to death and even ruined one of my protective artifacts! A reward!? First, compensate me for my Seven Silk Restraints!”
“Hey, Sixth, how old are you? Why are you still so stingy?” Uncle Zhong said dismissively. “A broken ribbon in exchange for a daughter and a good son-in-law. Is there a better deal in the world? I’ve been busy playing matchmaker all day, and instead of thanks, I get complaints?”
“Alright, alright, you’re right,” Sixth Master said weakly. “But I got beaten and scolded, acting like a villain for half a day. The young couple is happy, but my plan to recognize my daughter hasn’t even started yet?”
Uncle Zhong grinned. “Why are you in such a hurry? Things have to be done step by step. First, settle the marriage. Then, you need to quickly inform the Emperor so he doesn’t soften and agree to Bi Zhen leaving the Dao, cutting off her retreat. After that, someone needs to guide the girl, and she’ll surely comply.”
“The Emperor is easy to handle. At worst, I’ll swallow my pride. Our father-daughter matter is something he cares about. The problem is, who will talk to Bi Zhen about this? You know her temper. If things don’t go well, she’ll be as stubborn as a mule and won’t turn back even if she hits a wall,” Sixth Master said with deep concern.
“Of course, you can’t be the one to talk to her,” Uncle Zhong said mysteriously. “You need to find someone Bi Zhen is most willing to listen to. It’s guaranteed to work.”
“Her grandmother?” Sixth Master shivered. “You want me to ask that crazy woman to talk to Bi Zhen? Forget it! I still want to live a few more years in peace!”
“Blockhead!” Uncle Zhong said with a look of disappointment. “You only think of asking your mother-in-law for help. The girl is grown up now. Do you think she’s still as close to her grandmother as she was when she was a child? She’s long since thrown you elders to the back of her mind!”
“You mean Mei Qing?” Sixth Master finally caught on.
“Of course! Didn’t you see it just now? It’s like brine coagulating tofu—one thing conquers another. No matter how much Bi Zhen disagrees with you, when it comes to Mei Qing, she’ll listen to whatever he says. We’ve been busy all day. Should Mei Qing just reap the benefits without putting in any effort? After all, he’s the one marrying her. It’s only natural that he should be the one to convince her,” Uncle Zhong said confidently.
Sixth Master frowned deeply. “If Bi Zhen trusts Mei Qing so easily, what if he deceives her? Old man, let me tell you this upfront. If Mei Qing dares to let Bi Zhen suffer even a little after she marries him, don’t blame me for turning against him!”
“Come on!” Uncle Zhong said. “With a father like you and a grandmother like that crazy woman, who in the world would dare to bully her? I’m more worried that Mei Qing, being so honest since childhood, might be bullied by your daughter and not be able to stand up for himself!”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with the Emperor today,” Bi Zhen said through gritted teeth as she plucked bamboo leaves from Mei Qing’s courtyard and crushed them into pieces. “No matter what I said, he wouldn’t budge. In the end, I even said I wanted to get married, and he said…”
“What did he say?” Mei Qing asked with concern. “He said that marriage is a matter for parents to decide. If I want to get married, I can leave the Dao, but I have to first recognize that old man as my father. Only if he agrees will it count,” Bi Zhen said bitterly.
“Ah… so what did you say, Zhen’er?” Mei Qing, knowing the complicated relationship between Bi Zhen and her father, asked with some worry.
“I said I’d rather be a Daoist nun for the rest of my life than recognize him as my father,” Bi Zhen suddenly lost her confidence, lowered her head, and whispered, while secretly glancing at Mei Qing’s expression.
“A-Qing, it’s not that I don’t want to marry you… Can you give me some time to think of a way? I really don’t want to recognize him,” Bi Zhen said softly, seeing that Mei Qing seemed a bit unhappy.
“…It’s okay. We’ve overcome so many difficulties before. I don’t believe this will stop us. At worst, I’ll take you and elope!” Seeing Bi Zhen’s soft plea, Mei Qing didn’t want to pressure her and quickly reassured her.
“Elope? That’s right. If it really comes to that, we can hide in that place in Jieshi where they refine gold. They’ll never find us,” Bi Zhen’s eyes sparkled. “We can cultivate there for decades or even a century, and then ascend together. By then, they won’t know where to find us!”
“How is this possible?” Mei Qing was dumbfounded. “The one sitting looks like she’s in her seventies or eighties, and she’s your aunt? The one standing is young and beautiful, almost like your sister, and she’s your grandmother?”
“What’s so strange about that? Can’t you figure it out?” Bi Zhen laughed. “How can you judge the age of a cultivator by ordinary standards? You’ve been cultivating for a while now, shouldn’t you understand this?”
Mei Qing was momentarily speechless. To be honest, Mei Qing’s cultivation level was indeed quite good, but in terms of time, it hadn’t been that long. Therefore, when it came to many things, he still tended to analyze them from a mundane perspective, which sometimes led to misunderstandings.
“Well… you look a lot like your grandmother,” Mei Qing changed the subject. “I suppose you’ll be just as young and beautiful as her in the future.”
Bi Zhen shook her head. “Of course. I take after my mother, and my mother takes after my grandmother. I definitely won’t take after that old man.”
Mei Qing nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Bi Zhen’s reasoning, but then asked curiously, “You said the one sitting is your aunt, but why is it that when I was inside, I only heard your aunt speaking, and your grandmother didn’t say a word?”
Bi Zhen shook her head. “You don’t know. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t get the chance. My grandmother is practicing some kind of technique that prevents her from speaking. She’s too lazy to use her spiritual sense all the time, so she taught my aunt a skill that allows her to speak whatever my grandmother is thinking without needing to use her spiritual sense. So, when my aunt speaks, she’s actually speaking for my grandmother.”
Mei Qing found this incredibly fascinating. He never imagined such a unique method existed. It seemed Bi Zhen’s grandmother was quite the character.
As the two chatted and laughed, they suddenly heard a soft snort in their ears. This time, it wasn’t a spiritual message; both of them heard it clearly. Bi Zhen stuck out her tongue and said, “Oh no, my grandmother heard us. She’s upset that we’re talking about her behind her back. Let’s go!”
Without another word, and since they were in the middle of a formation and couldn’t use their powers, they quickened their pace and followed the winding mountain path until they exited the mountain gate. When they reached the cliff, Bi Zhen patted her chest and said, “That was scary. But my grandmother was acting strange today. It seemed like she was planning to agree from the start. Don’t you think it’s odd that she didn’t grill you too much before letting you go?”
Mei Qing said, “What’s so strange about that? A dashing man like me… I mean, your grandmother has seen the world and has a sharp eye. Of course, she could tell at a glance that I’m trustworthy, which is why she entrusted you to me.”
“How do you know my grandmother entrusted me to you?” Bi Zhen rolled her eyes. “Did I agree to marry you?”
“What?” Mei Qing was surprised. “You don’t agree? Then why did you bring me here?”
“My grandmother said that guys like you, who are good-looking, talented, and smooth-talkers, are the hardest to trust. She told me not to agree to marry you too easily. I should drag it out until you’re desperate and anxious, and only then should I reluctantly agree. Otherwise, you wouldn’t know how to cherish me.” Bi Zhen spoke with confidence.
“…So how many years are you planning to drag this out?” Mei Qing asked nervously.
Bi Zhen looked troubled. “My grandmother said that no matter how long I drag it out, a woman should still get married. Being a lifelong companion is too much of a loss. But should I really go to the Emperor and ask to leave the monastic life? That doesn’t seem right…”
Mei Qing, however, was overjoyed. “You’re willing to leave the monastic life? That’s great! What’s so hard about talking to the Emperor? Men should marry, and women should marry. Just go and tell him openly.”
“It’s not that easy!” Bi Zhen said with frustration. “When I decided to become a nun, I made a huge fuss and completely cut ties with that old man. Now, suddenly, I want to leave the monastic life and get married. How can I bring that up?”
“What should we do then?” Mei Qing asked. “Are we really going to live like this forever? Our eldest daughter already calls you ‘young mistress.’ You don’t plan to wear a Taoist robe and be the young mistress of our household, do you?”
Bi Zhen suddenly became annoyed. “What’s wrong with wearing a Taoist robe? Let them accuse you of ruining my spiritual practice. If you’re scared, then stop bothering me!”
Mei Qing suddenly chuckled. Bi Zhen glared at him. “What are you laughing at? Are you mocking me?”
Mei Qing summoned a spirit crane, lifted Bi Zhen onto its back, and urged the crane to spread its wings and take off. He leaned close to Bi Zhen’s ear and said, “I don’t care. If you dare to marry me in a Taoist robe, I’ll dare to marry you!”
Bi Zhen, held by Mei Qing, felt her body go soft, and she forgot her annoyance. She said, “As if I’m in a hurry to marry you… Oh no, I forgot. My grandmother said I shouldn’t agree to you so quickly…”
The two of them flew off on the crane, their figures soon disappearing behind the distant mountains.
Suddenly, in the spot where they had mounted the crane, two inconspicuous rocks began to move, gradually rising until they transformed into two human figures—Sixth Master and Uncle Zhong.
Uncle Zhong was dressed like a northeastern broker, wearing a dog fur coat, a fur hat, and leather boots. He crossed his arms and said, “So? My idea was pretty good, wasn’t it? I told you, your Tai’an is as stubborn as a mule. If you pull, she won’t move; if you push, she’ll retreat. She doesn’t like you at all, and no matter what you say, she’ll never be satisfied. As long as you curse Mei Qing and say you absolutely don’t agree to this marriage, and refuse to let Bi Zhen marry him, that crazy—your mother-in-law—will definitely support the marriage. How about it? My plan deserves a big reward, doesn’t it?”
Sixth Master, with disheveled hair, a bruised face, and messy clothes, gritted his teeth and said, “You old fool, stop bragging! Where were you when that crazy woman was cursing me? You didn’t see how she almost killed me on the spot, and she even destroyed one of my protective artifacts! A reward? First, pay me back for my Seven Silk Bind!”
“Come on, Sixth, you’re not a kid anymore. Why are you so stingy?” Uncle Zhong said dismissively. “A broken ribbon in exchange for a daughter and a good son-in-law—isn’t that the best deal in the world? I’ve been busy playing matchmaker all day, and instead of thanks, I get complaints?”
“Alright, alright, you win,” Sixth Master said weakly. “But I’ve been beaten and cursed, playing the villain all day. The young couple is happy, but I still haven’t even acknowledged my daughter yet!”
Uncle Zhong grinned. “Why are you in such a hurry? Things have to be done step by step. First, get the marriage settled. Then, you need to talk to the Emperor and make sure he doesn’t agree to Bi Zhen leaving the monastic life, cutting off her retreat. After that, someone needs to guide the girl, and she’ll surely fall in line.”
“The Emperor is manageable. I can swallow my pride and talk to him. He’s quite concerned about our father-daughter relationship. But who’s going to discuss this with Bi Zhen? You know her temper. If she doesn’t like it, she’ll hit a wall and refuse to turn back.” Sixth Master was deeply worried.
“Of course, you can’t be the one to talk to her,” Uncle Zhong said mysteriously. “You need to find someone Bi Zhen is most willing to listen to. It’s guaranteed to work.”
“Her grandmother?” Sixth Master shivered. “You want me to ask that crazy woman to talk to Bi Zhen? No way! I still want to live a few more years!”
“Blockhead!” Uncle Zhong said with a look of disappointment. “You only think of asking your mother-in-law for help. The girl’s grown up now. Do you think she’s still as close to her grandmother as she was when she was a child? She’s already thrown you elders to the back of her mind!”
“You mean Mei Qing?” Sixth Master finally caught on.
“Of course! You saw it just now. Like brine solidifying tofu, one thing conquers another. No matter how much Bi Zhen argues with you, when it comes to Mei Qing, she’ll listen to whatever he says. We’ve been busy all day, and Mei Qing can’t just reap the benefits without putting in any effort. After all, it’s his wife. The task of convincing her naturally falls to him.” Uncle Zhong spoke with confidence.
Sixth Master frowned deeply. “If Bi Zhen trusts Mei Qing so easily, what if he deceives her? Listen, old man, let’s get this straight—if Mei Qing dares to mistreat Bi Zhen after she marries him, don’t blame me for turning against him!”
“Come on!” Uncle Zhong said. “With a father like you and a grandmother like that crazy woman, who in the world would dare to bully her? I’m more worried that Mei Qing, being so honest, will be bullied by your daughter and never recover!”
“I don’t know what’s gotten into the Emperor today,” Bi Zhen said through gritted teeth as she plucked bamboo leaves in Mei Qing’s courtyard, crushing them into pieces. “No matter what I said, he wouldn’t budge. In the end, I even said I wanted to get married, and he said…”
“What did he say?” Mei Qing asked with concern. “He said that marriage is a matter for parents to decide. If I want to get married, I can leave the monastic life, but I have to first acknowledge that old man as my father. Only if he agrees will it count.” Bi Zhen said bitterly.
“Ah… so what did you say?” Mei Qing, knowing the complicated relationship between Bi Zhen and her father, asked with concern.
“I said I’d rather be a nun for the rest of my life than acknowledge him as my father.” Bi Zhen suddenly lost her confidence, lowered her head, and spoke softly, glancing up at Mei Qing’s expression.
“Qing, it’s not that I don’t want to marry you… Can you give me some time to think of a way? I really don’t want to acknowledge him.” Seeing that Mei Qing seemed a bit upset, Bi Zhen quickly spoke in a gentle tone.
“…It’s okay. We’ve overcome so many difficulties before. I don’t believe this will stop us. If it comes to it, I’ll take you and elope!” Seeing Bi Zhen’s soft plea, Mei Qing didn’t want to pressure her and quickly reassured her.
“Elope? That’s right. If it really comes to that, we can hide in that place by Jieshi where we refined the gold. They’ll never find us.” Bi Zhen’s eyes sparkled. “We can cultivate there for decades or even a century, and then ascend together. By then, they won’t know where to find us!”
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