A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

Chapter 536 The Fairy Carrying a Lantern
After exchanging greetings, Li Ruozhou followed Li Yunjing out of the Lü family mansion. Li Ruozhou held the wooden box, her expression blank the whole way.

The two returned to Cuiwei Peak, entered the manor, and turned into the corridor.

Li Ruozhou suddenly said, "Father, is there something wrong with that woman, Lü Qingzhu?"

Li Yunjing didn't seem to care much and casually asked, "What's the problem?"

Li Ruozhou said, "She has venereal disease!"

Li Yunjing suddenly stopped, turned around and glared at Li Ruozhou, coldly saying, "Don't talk nonsense! Miss Lü is pure and innocent, how could she have such a dirty disease?!"

Li Ruozhou: "Father, it's true! I saw it with my own eyes!"

Li Ruozhou then recounted what had just happened at the Lü residence.

Li Yunjing looked at Li Ruozhou with suspicion, but Li Ruozhou spoke in a very serious and detailed manner, and it did not seem like he was making it up.

"Whether it's true or not is irrelevant!" Li Yunjing said, "Whether she has venereal disease or not?! Even if she's oozing pus from head to toe, you still have to marry her! This is a marriage alliance between two families! Do you think I'm really just finding you a wife?"

After Li Yunjing finished speaking, he gave Li Ruozhou a meaningful look, then turned and left.

Li Ruozhou stood in the shadows of the corridor, momentarily stunned.

Tonight's meeting with Lü Qingzhu was a rollercoaster of emotions for him, like experiencing both ice and fire.

His initial high expectations turned into awe upon first seeing Lü Qingzhu, followed by his devastating fall upon discovering her venereal disease. At this moment, his father Li Yunjing's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head.

Li Ruozhou looked rather helpless.

"Forget it, at worst I'll just marry her, leave her in the room, and never touch her."

As he spoke, he grew increasingly irritated. "I thought I was going to marry a celestial being!? Now look what I've done, I've married a female ghost, and I have to worship her every day! What kind of mess is this?!"

Li Ruozhou felt a surge of anger...

According to Li Yunjing's plan, the sixth day after the meeting ceremony would be the day the two got engaged.

He planned to hold the engagement ceremony inside the Taiyi Gate, which would give him only five days to prepare. So, early the next morning, he told Chu Qiushan about it and wanted to discuss the arrangements for the engagement ceremony with him.

Upon hearing this, Chu Qiushan immediately summoned Zhu He.

Zhu He is in charge of the Inner History Department, which is responsible for presiding over all the major ceremonies within the sect.

Zhu He said, "No need to worry! Five days is more than enough to prepare."

When Li Yunjing heard Zhu He say this, he immediately felt much more at ease. He was worried that it was too hasty and they might not make it in time!

Zhu He then said, "I think the engagement ceremony can be held in the Fish and Dragon Hall. We can just rearrange it a bit. What do Sect Leader Chu and Sect Leader Li think?"

Li Yunjing smiled and said, "Chief Zhu's arrangements are certainly appropriate!"

Chu Qiushan said, "You decide what to do."

Zhu He nodded and said, "Then let the historians begin the arrangements today. Also, I would like to trouble Sect Master Li to write down a list of the guests invited by the Tianyan Sect so that I can arrange to send out the invitations. As for the guests from the Taiyi Sect, I will invite them according to our sect's usual practice."

Li Yunjing said, "Chief Zhu is truly capable! His thoughts are thorough! I will write down the list for you right away!"

Li Yunjing immediately wrote down the list and handed it to Zhu He, who then took the list and left.

That afternoon, the historians of the Inner History Office sent out invitation cards to each peak.

That day, Xiao Yu was sitting in a pavilion by the lake, lost in thought, when Duan Rong left in a hurry after getting up in the morning.

Xiao Yu sat listlessly in the pavilion, watching the goldfish swimming and foraging in the lake. Thinking of Lü Qingzhu's face yesterday, and the look in her eyes as she and Duan Rong gazed at each other, Xiao Yu felt a deep sense of melancholy wash over her…

Just then, Ximen Kankan suddenly rushed in. The courtyard was originally very quiet, but the sound of Ximen Kankan's footsteps startled the goldfish, causing them to dart to the bottom of the lake and refuse to come out.

Xiao Yu turned her head and saw Ximen Kankan looking excited.

In the months since Ximen Kankan left the Pagoda Forest, he has gained all the weight back. At this moment, his chubby round face looked rosy in the afternoon sun, and the fat on his face jiggled wildly.

Ximen Kankan had been nominally employed in the Inner History Department. After Duan Rong left Wanxiang Cave, he found him a job in the department.

He has been working in the Inner History Office recently.

Ximen Kankan ran into the mansion and immediately saw Xiao Yu sitting in the pavilion. He asked, "Where is Duan Rong?"

Xiao Yu laughed and said, "He's not here right now! What do you want with him?"

Ximen Kankan hadn't come for a few days. When he was around, Xiao Yu always complained that he talked too much and was too noisy. But now that she hadn't seen him for several days, she felt like she was missing something fun.

Ximen Kankan swaggered into the pavilion, picked up a teacup, and gulped it down. Then he threw a note in front of Xiao Yu and said, "This is for Duan Rong! He's back, remember to give it to him."

Duan Rong was a direct disciple of the Taiyi Sect, and according to custom, he was qualified to attend such a celebration between the two sects.

Xiao Yu glanced at the invitation on the stone table. It was covered in red brocade and embroidered with mandarin ducks, clearly a wedding invitation. She asked, "Where did this wedding invitation come from?"

Ximen Kankan said, "Haven't you heard? Our Taiyi Sect is going to form a marriage alliance with the Tianyan Sect!"

"Marriage alliance!? Who's marrying whom?" Xiao Yu said, already taking the invitation and flipping through it.

Ximen Kankan said, "Lü Qingzhu and Li Ruozhou, the young sect master of Tianyan Sect!"

Even without Ximen Kankan saying anything, Xiao Yu herself had already seen it. She was slightly taken aback, and then her eyes lit up with a smile.

Ximen Kankan looked at Xiao Yu with a strange expression and said, "They're getting married, and besides, they didn't invite you. Look at you, so happy, like you've taken the wrong medicine!"

Xiao Yu couldn't help but laugh. She covered her mouth with the post she was looking at and said, "Such a joyous occasion, a celebration for the whole world, why can't I be happy?"

"Neng Le! Neng Le! I'm afraid you'll laugh yourself sick!"

"Get lost!" Xiao Yu rolled her eyes at Ximen Kankan and said, "I laughed so hard I almost choked. Can't you have a sip of tea to calm yourself down?"

"You're doing well! You're doing well! Then enjoy yourself! Remember to give the invitation to Duan Rong! I'm going back to Yunfu Peak!" Ximen Kankan said, and then left the mansion.

After Ximen Kankan left, Xiao Yu kept staring at the words on the post and grinning foolishly.

However, as she was smiling, her eyes suddenly lit up.

If Lü Qingzhu is to be married off to the young sect leader of the Tianyan Sect, then what were Duan Rong, Lü Qingzhu, and that gentle-looking man discussing in this pavilion yesterday afternoon?

Xiao Yu possessed a woman's typical sensitivity, and she immediately became certain that what Duan Rong and the others were discussing must be related to a marriage alliance with Lü Qingzhu.

After the post was published, the news of Lü Qingzhu's marriage to the young sect leader of Tianyan Sect spread throughout Taiyi Sect.

Inside the Dragon Fish Hall atop Cuiwei Peak, several supervisors began directing the servants to decorate with lanterns and colorful decorations.

Inside the Elders' Council, the discussions about the alliance were reaching increasingly difficult points. Many issues were no longer being discussed among the relevant personnel, but rather were being put on the table for collective discussion. Perhaps because they were about to become in-laws, Li Yunjing often consulted Lü Zhongtang on many matters, in addition to seeking Chu Qiushan's opinion. This action of his drew the attention of many elders participating in the discussions, and Zhu He naturally noticed it as well.

Three months from now, it will be time for the Taiyi Sect to change its leader.

The most important task for the new sect leader is naturally to solidify the alliance between the two sects and put the agreement into practice. Since Lü Zhongtang and the sect leader of the Tianyan Sect are related by marriage, his succession as sect leader would undoubtedly benefit the advancement of many details of the alliance.

Inside the Elder Council, as the discussion of the alliance deepened, Li Ruozhou became largely detached from it. Within the sect, he wasn't responsible for specific affairs; he only occasionally assumed the duties of sect leader for a few days when his father was absent.

By the third day, he had stopped going to the Elders' Court.

That afternoon, he was drinking alone in his room, while the servant knelt beside him.

He was enjoying his drink when suddenly there was a knocking sound at the door.

"Who goes there?" Li Ruozhou shouted coldly when he heard the knocking, a flash of anger in his eyes.

His father, along with a group of elders from the Tianyan Sect, were discussing the alliance in the elders' courtyard. Who would dare knock on his door in this manor at this hour?

"It's me!" A clear female voice rang out from the doorway.

Li Ruozhou frowned and scanned the outside with his divine sense. He suddenly shuddered. Standing outside the door was none other than Lü Qingzhu!
"Quick! Get into bed!" Li Ruozhou said as she put on her clothes.

The servant immediately ran behind the screen and crawled into the bed with its curtains hanging down.

As Li Ruozhou dressed, he called out, "Please wait a moment, young lady! I'm coming right away!"

Li Ruzhou put on his clothes, kicked the servant's clothes under the table, and then opened the door.

Lu Qingzhu stood there and saw that Li Ruozhou's face was flushed, he smelled of alcohol, and his clothes were quite disheveled. Remembering this person's reputation, Lu Qingzhu immediately raised her eyebrows.

Li Ruozhou stood there, bowed to Lü Qingzhu, gave a wicked smile, and said, "I had nothing to do this afternoon, so I had a few drinks. Please forgive me, young lady!"

Lu Qingzhu coldly replied, "Young Master Li! I will be waiting for you at the platform halfway up the mountain tonight at 7 PM."

After finishing her sentence, Lü Qingzhu turned to leave.

Li Ruozhou immediately asked, "May I ask what brings you here, young lady?"

Lü Qingzhu glanced at Li Ruozhou and said, "When you arrive at Xu Shi (7-9 PM), I will tell you!"

After finishing her sentence, Lü Qingzhu walked down the corridor.

Li Ruozhou peeked at Lü Qingzhu's retreating figure, then closed the door with a suspicious look in his eyes. He sat back down at the table and gulped down several cups of wine.

He was a little puzzled, wondering why that little girl Lü Qingzhu had suddenly invited him to the platform halfway up the mountain.

However, the platform on the mountainside is not far from the manor.

Li Ruozhou recalled Lü Qingzhu's tender face from just now, and suddenly clenched his right hand, crushing the wine glass in his hand into powder.

"Such a beauty, what a pity she's tainted with venereal diseases?! Such a wonderful body, which philanderer beat her to it?! If I ever find out who it was, I'll skin that bastard alive!?"

As Li Ruozhou spoke, perhaps aroused by Lü Qingzhu, a surge of heat rose in his lower abdomen.

He staggered to his feet, took off his clothes, and crawled into the bed behind the screen, whereupon screams rang out.

It was almost dusk when Li Ruozhou finally left the manor, feeling dizzy and disoriented.

The platform on the mountainside that Lü Qingzhu mentioned was the place where the Cloud Feather Eagle landed when they first arrived at Cuiwei Peak. It wasn't a long way, but the whole way was pitch black.

At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), it had only just gotten dark, but within these endless mountains, once the sun set, everything was pitch black.

At this moment, on this Emerald Peak, only the manor, the Elders' Courtyard, and the Dragon Fish Hall, not far away, are brightly lit.

Inside the Elders' Council, negotiations on the alliance were still underway, with occasional sounds of arguments breaking out.

Li Ruozhou walked to the platform halfway up the mountain, where he saw a figure standing at the edge of the platform, carrying a lantern.

The dim light of the lantern illuminated the person's clothes and face; from a distance, it was indeed Lü Qingzhu.

Li Ruozhou stepped forward, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Miss Lü, I'm sorry! I'm late!"

Lü Qingzhu gave him a cold look and said, "Come with me! I'll take you somewhere!"

Li Ruozhou's eyes flickered as he asked, "May I ask where you are, young lady?"

Lü Qingzhu said, "This matter concerns our marriage. Come with me! Don't ask any more questions!"

After Lü Qingzhu finished speaking, she suddenly picked up a lantern and rose into the night, riding the wind.

Lu Qingzhu's robes fluttered, hovering in the misty night sky, holding a lantern and standing in mid-air, like a fairy.

Li Ruozhou looked up, his eyes filled with infatuation. In that instant, he felt that if he married Lü Qingzhu, even if she truly had syphilis, he wouldn't let her go! Otherwise, it would be such a waste!

Lu Qingzhu hovered there, and seeing that Li Ruozhou seemed to have no intention of moving, she coldly said, "If you're afraid, you don't have to come. But our engagement is off!"

After saying this, Lü Qingzhu picked up her lantern and disappeared into the clouds and mist in the valley.

In the darkness, amidst the misty clouds, a single, dim light moved...

A hint of hesitation flashed in Li Ruozhou's eyes. He reached out and touched the longevity lock he wore around his neck. This was a magical artifact for self-defense. With this item on his person, no one except a master in the late stage of the Cave of Enlightenment Realm could hurt him.

"Miss Qingzhu, wait for me!"

Li Ruozhou rode the wind and saw a dim light, as small as a bean, in the misty clouds a few feet away. He immediately urged himself on and chased after it.

Lu Qingzhu noticed Li Ruozhou following her, and a cold glint flashed in her icy eyes. She had absolutely no liking for this man; if it weren't for his sensitive identity, she would have loved to turn around and strike him with her sword right there in the mist!
Carrying a lantern, Lü Qingzhu traveled through the clouds and mist, and in no time, she had covered several miles.

After following for a while, Li Ruozhou's heart grew increasingly pounding, so he called out, "Miss Qingzhu, where exactly are we going?"

Lü Qingzhu remained silent, carrying a lantern as she walked through the clouds and mist.

Li Ruozhou felt increasingly uneasy. Just as he was about to say something more, he heard Lü Qingzhu coldly say, "Come down with me!"

As soon as Lü Qingzhu finished speaking, she suddenly turned and flew diagonally downwards, carrying the lantern!

Li Ruozhou's eyes narrowed, and he followed the dim, bean-like light as he flew over.

Lu Qingzhu flew out of the misty valley and landed on a dark mountain peak not far away.

The mountain peak was pitch black, without a single spark. Lü Qingzhu, carrying a dim yellow lantern, drifted down and disappeared into the darkness.

Li Ruozhou subconsciously touched the longevity lock around his neck again, and then remembered his father's repeated instructions that the marriage between the two was an extremely important matter. At this moment, Lü Qingzhu's figure had already disappeared into the darkness. Afraid of losing her, he urged his body to move and headed towards the place where Lü Qingzhu's figure had disappeared...

(End of this chapter)