Celestial Desolation Star, Holy Emperor Palace.
After Ye Qingyan returned from the Azure World with Gu Youxian, Gu Youxian went back to the Gu family.
However…
Before reaching the Gu family, Gu Youxian hesitated, his face shifting with complex emotions.
“Father?”
Just then, Gu Zhicheng, Gu Youxian’s second son, came out.
(A brief clarification: I previously mixed up the birth order of Gu Qingcheng and Gu Zhicheng. Gu Qingcheng is the elder sister, and Gu Zhicheng is the younger brother.)
Gu Youxian composed himself, nodded gently, and asked, “Where are you headed?”
“Oh, I’m going to the Holy Emperor Palace on behalf of Aunt Rong to deliver these items to the White Tiger Demon Emperor.”
Gu Zhicheng flipped his hand, revealing an ancient scripture exuding a rich aura of life. Gu Youxian looked closely and saw several large characters written in elegant yet bold strokes on the scripture.
《Treatise on the Creation of Wood》.
“This is a compilation by Aunt Rong based on the Wood Divine Jumang inheritance she received, detailing the laws of wood and the great path of creation. Aunt Rong left a copy for our family and asked me to deliver this copy to the Holy Emperor Palace to enrich its scripture collection.”
Gu Zhicheng briefly explained the origin of the 《Treatise on the Creation of Wood》, stating that it was both a cultivation method and a theoretical work that could enlighten cultivators on the path of creation.
Gu Youxian nodded. He had naturally heard about Murong receiving the Wood Divine Jumang's inheritance. In fact, when he first heard the news, his initial reaction wasn't surprise or shock, but confusion.
How should he put it?
The Gu family was extremely particular about seniority, so even when he saw Li Beifei, he had to obediently call him Shishu (Uncle-Master).
But here’s the problem: Wood Divine Jumang was the elder brother of Houtu, and Houtu was the Dao Companion of his grandfather. If Murong received the Wood Divine Jumang's inheritance, wouldn't her seniority be on par with his father, Gu Sheng?
This…
As the only third-generation member of the Gu family, Gu Youxian was the most observant of family rules. Murong's seniority had suddenly jumped, leaving him unsure how to face her next. This was the reason for his hesitation at the doorstep.
“Father, why aren’t you going in? Aunt Rong has been waiting for you at home for over a thousand years,” Gu Zhicheng said at that moment.
Hearing this, Gu Youxian snapped back to reality and glared at Gu Zhicheng, saying, “You call her Aunt Rong so smoothly, huh?”
“Of course. When you and Aunt Rong get married, I'll have to change my address to Mother… Uh… Father, are you alright?”
Gu Zhicheng had been saying this with enthusiasm, but suddenly noticed that Gu Youxian's face was not right. As the saying goes, a father knows his son best, and vice versa.
Gu Zhicheng knew his father very well. In an instant, he understood his father's thoughts at the moment.
“Father, you don’t have to delve into the matter of seniority. Great-Grandfather said, ‘Follow your heart, associate as you please,’” Gu Zhicheng enlightened Gu Youxian with Gu Changsheng's words.
Hearing this, Gu Youxian chuckled and said, “You brat, are you asking for a beating? You’re actually educating your old man?”
“I wouldn’t dare!”
Gu Zhicheng immediately shrank his head. In the Gu family, being afraid of one's wife was a tradition, but so was valuing women over men.
For example, when his elder sister Gu Qingcheng made mistakes as a child, he, the younger brother, would be the one to get beaten.
The reasoning was, ‘If your elder sister makes a mistake, why didn’t you, as the younger brother, stop her?’
Although this sounded somewhat upside-down, he didn't want to get beaten. It was fine when he was a child, but now he was also an ancestor of the Gu family. It would be too embarrassing if he got beaten and it spread out.
“Father, I’ll be busy first. Take your time…”
With that, Gu Zhicheng transformed into a divine rainbow and flew towards the Holy Emperor Palace, even using the Inch Shrinking Technique.
Seeing this, Gu Youxian shook his head helplessly and muttered, “What he said is right, associate as you please. Besides, our ‘bet’ came first, and Murong received the inheritance later. According to the principle of first come, first served, the ‘bet’ is more important.”
Gu Youxian raised his head, puffed out his chest, and walked into the Gu family.
What was there to be afraid of when returning to his own home?
The Gu family was large, but for Gu Youxian, it was also small. He quickly arrived at the courtyard he hadn't lived in for over two thousand years. The courtyard door was wide open, indicating that someone was inside.
Gu Youxian arrived at the courtyard entrance and saw Murong in a green dress in a pavilion, holding expensive feed in her hand, occasionally throwing a few grains into the small lake for the dragon carp.
Suddenly, Murong seemed to sense Gu Youxian's presence. She abruptly turned her head, her flowing hair gently swaying as she turned, and her exquisite and beautiful face instantly appeared in Gu Youxian's view.
When Murong saw Gu Youxian, a beautiful smile suddenly bloomed on her cold face, and her bright eyes seemed to carry a hint of laughter.
Indeed, a smile that could captivate a nation!
“You’re back?”
Murong's voice was still cold, but within that coldness, there was a hint of joy.
“Yes!”
Gu Youxian walked into the courtyard, came to the pavilion, and stood beside Murong.
“I’ve heard everything. You fought fiercely in the Azure World, even killing a Celestial King,” Murong said, her voice crisp and melodious.
“Just luck,” Gu Youxian said modestly with a smile.
“Luck is also part of strength, isn’t it?” Murong smiled, and the dragon carp in the lake became exceptionally active, rolling and jumping on the surface of the water. They had been here for over a thousand years, but had never seen their mistress smile so happily.
“Just like how I received the inheritance of the Divine Jumang, luck is also very important besides talent,” Murong continued.
Gu Youxian nodded in agreement. If that Celestial King hadn't beaten him to the brink of death, he wouldn't have known how to comprehend the 《Primordial Three Lifetimes Method》. That was also part of luck.
“I originally wanted to go to the Azure World too, but I heard that women who marry into the Gu family don’t have to participate in wars unless the family is facing a life-or-death crisis.”
Murong said quietly, her words shaking Gu Youxian's heart.
The Gu family did indeed have such a rule, because in the eyes of the Gu family, if even their women had to be thrown into war, what kind of men would they, the Gu family men, be?
Perhaps this was somewhat chauvinistic, but it was also a form of protection that the Gu family men gave to their women.
And Murong had not yet fulfilled the original bet with Gu Youxian, but she had already taken the first step in obeying the Gu family rules. From this, it could be seen that she already regarded herself as Gu Youxian's person.
The two met because of an evenly matched exchange, and each other's strength became the reason for their attraction. Then, because of a 'bet,' the cause and effect between the two was completely linked together.
They didn't have a earth-shattering love story; instead, it seemed like they were looking for a 'cultivation partner.' But they were able to give each other their sincerity.
Love and affection were never that complicated.
“After everything settles down, I’ll marry you. Are you willing to wait?”
Gu Youxian said.
Settling down naturally referred to Houtu unifying all the heavens and realms.
“Then I might break the rules. When you return to the Azure World later, I want to go with you!”
Murong didn't say whether she was willing to wait, but responded to Gu Youxian with practical actions.
Hearing this, a smile appeared on Gu Youxian's face. He slowly reached out a hand and placed it on Murong's shoulder, and Murong gently leaned her head on his shoulder.
At this time, the sun was setting in the west, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone on the two, dyeing their clothes with a layer of red.
Like red official robes, and like a red wedding dress!
…
