Misty Rain of the Old Times

"Master Ling, Brother Xiang, you have come from afar and must be tired. Please forgive us for not greeting you properly. Please come in quickly," Chen Xuan said, stepping forward and bowing.

He's said those words "please come quickly" countless times these past two days; more times than he's ever said them in his entire life.

They handed the gifts to the people next to them, and Ling Yun cupped his hands and said cheerfully, "Young Master Chen, we rushed over as soon as we received the invitation. We're not late, are we?"

"It's not too late, the formal wedding ceremony will have to wait until tomorrow," Chen Xuan said with a smile as he turned to greet him.

The burly man, who resembled a small giant, said to Qi in a deep, booming voice, "Young Master Chen, long time no see! Congratulations! I'm a rough fellow and not very good at talking, please don't take offense."

This guy got poisoned when he stumbled into the mushroom forest in the Misty Swamp. If it weren't for Chen Xuan, he would have died long ago. He has always wanted to repay Chen Xuan, but he just couldn't find an opportunity. This time, he really went all out for the congratulatory gift for Chen Xuan. He prepared for several months and went to great lengths to get a set of valuable writing materials. It was really difficult for this rough guy.

Chen Xuan said cheerfully, "Brother Xiang, you're too kind. It's an honor for our humble abode that you could come and have a drink at our wedding. Please."

Don't underestimate Xiang Qi. He may not be well-known in Jing Kingdom, but he is a top-notch figure in Yuhua Kingdom and is always a guest of honor wherever he goes.

It's worth mentioning that none of the people who came to congratulate Chen Xuan, whether they were from the imperial court or the martial arts world, brought any weapons except for their gifts. Everyone would avoid this, as it would be quite inappropriate for someone to bring weapons to their wedding. To put it bluntly, what are you trying to do with weapons? Unless it's an enemy deliberately trying to cause trouble.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Zhao Qingluan suddenly jumped out and exclaimed with delight, "Disciple greets Master! Master, what brings you here? You didn't even tell me beforehand, so I could have come to greet you!"

"Qingluan, I probably wouldn't have been able to send you a letter in advance as quickly as I could have, so I came directly. Have you fallen behind in your martial arts during this time?" Ling Yun asked with concern. He only had this one disciple, and he had already taught her everything he needed to. The rest depended on Zhao Qingluan's own diligence and hard work.

Zhao Qingluan tugged at Ling Yun's sleeve and said coquettishly, "Master, my martial arts have improved recently; I haven't missed a single day."

"That's good. I'll have to test you later," Ling Yun patted her head affectionately. She treated Zhao Qingluan like her own daughter, and even if she was lazy, she couldn't bear to punish her too much.

When the master and disciple met, Xiang Qi saw He Hongyi behind them and immediately exclaimed in surprise, "Miss He, it's been a long time! I heard you came to Jing Kingdom a few months ago, and it's true! I never expected to meet you here."

As fellow members of the martial arts world in Yuhua Kingdom, they were not bound by formalities. He had wanted to confirm some rumors, such as that He Hongyi, one of the ten beauties of Yuhua Kingdom, came to Jing Kingdom to pursue happiness, and that the person she was pursuing was Chen Xuan. However, no matter how rough he was, he would not bring it up at this time, since it was Chen Xuan's wedding day, which would be extremely inappropriate.

"Greetings, sir. I have indeed been in Jing Kingdom for some time. It's a pleasure to meet an old friend in a foreign land. We must have a good drink together later," He Hongyi said with a graceful and generous bow.

Xiang Qi said eagerly, "That's great! That's exactly my taste!"

Hearing this, one could tell that this man was a notorious drunkard. In the world of martial arts, who doesn't drink? He Hongyi didn't usually drink much, but how could she not give face at Chen Xuan's wedding?

After a brief exchange, Ling Yun realized Chen Xuan was busy, so she turned back and said, "Young Master Chen, please go and greet the other guests. Don't worry about us; Qingluan can lead us inside."

After a slight hesitation, Chen Xuan nodded and said, "Alright, then please excuse me. I'll toast you all later."

"Young Master Chen, you're too kind. We'll go in first."

After all, they had a life-or-death bond—Chen Xuan had saved their lives more than once—so there was no need to be so polite. They could just be casual; otherwise, it would seem too formal.

Several more groups of guests were then escorted inside. Master Yu Dingbo and his wife from Dongdao Tower arrived with Zhang Lanlan and her husband. Chen Xuan stepped forward and warmly greeted them, "Junior Chen Xuan greets Master Yu, Master's wife, Miss Zhang, and Brother Liu. Please come in."

Yu Dingbo bowed and said, "Young Master Chen, you are too kind. I am honored to have come to ask for a drink."

As he spoke, he felt a pang of emotion. Last year, when he saw Chen Xuan at Zhang Lanlan's house, he thought he was just an ordinary scholar passing by. He never expected that he was actually Chen Xuan, whom his goddaughter Zhang Lanlan had been searching for for many years. He never imagined that this man was actually a Grandmaster-level expert whose sneeze could cause an earthquake. If he had known beforehand and become friends with him, he wouldn't have cared about anything else, but it would have been a very prestigious thing. He could have boasted louder when he was with others.

Grandmaster! In Jing Kingdom, there are hundreds of innate masters, and it might take decades for one to emerge. Almost all of them are stuck at this level.

"Sect Leader Yu, you flatter me. Your presence is an honor to my humble abode. Please come in," Chen Xuan said with a smile, stepping aside to greet you.

Zhang Lanlan stepped forward, gazing at Chen Xuan with a thousand words unspoken, but ultimately uttered a heartfelt blessing: "Xuan, congratulations! Seeing you so happy and content now puts my mind at ease. Call me Sister Lanlan, just like when we were kids."

The two had gone through hardships together in their childhood. Zhang Lanlan was a little older than Chen Xuan. They went their separate ways in Jinxia County and were separated for many years. Last year, Chen Xuan passed through Jinxia County and was able to meet her again, but he did not acknowledge her or disturb Zhang Lanlan's peaceful life. Zhang Lanlan felt a little regretful, but she also understood why Chen Xuan did not acknowledge her. After all, they had only spent a few days together when they were young. They had their own lives after growing up, so why bring up the past? It would only cause more trouble by reopening old wounds.

Some time ago, Zhang Lanlan took her husband and children to Dongdao Tower to visit her adoptive parents and enjoy the seaside scenery in spring. She happened to learn that her adoptive parents were coming to the capital to congratulate Chen Xuan, so she came along. She wanted to witness her childhood friend, with whom she had shared hardships, enter the hall of marriage, which could be considered a complete farewell to her unbearable childhood experiences.

Chen Xuan nodded and smiled, "Sister Lanlan, so many years have passed in the blink of an eye. When we met last year, I saw that you were alright, living a happy life with a fulfilling family, so I didn't say anything to bother you. I hope you don't take it to heart."

She smiled gently and said, "Ah Xuan, I understand. If it were me, seeing you living a happy life and being such a good man, I wouldn't rashly acknowledge you and disturb your life. I would just silently wish you well. That's enough."

Nodding, Chen Xuan changed the subject with a smile, "The past is the past. We should all look forward. Life has many beautiful and wonderful things waiting for us. Why dwell on the past? Sister Lanlan, please."

"Well, it's Ah Xuan's big day, let's not talk about these things. You go and greet the other guests. We can go in by ourselves. But we're not treating ourselves as outsiders, are you okay, Ah Xuan?" Zhang Lanlan said in a light tone.

As a child, she was timid and shy. But over the years, with her family's wealth and the support of Dongdao Tower, she has become more cheerful and outgoing. She is no longer the timid little girl she once was. Putting aside their shared hardships in childhood, she is not intimidated even in front of someone like Chen Xuan.

Having let go of the past, Chen Xuan nodded and said, "Then I'll take my leave. Please make yourselves at home, Sister Lanlan."

Countless people around witnessed this scene and were deeply moved. They thought to themselves that it was incredible that someone like Chen Xuan was so polite and unpretentious to everyone. Otherwise, how could he have achieved the cultivation of a Grandmaster at such a young age? Such a temperament was truly incomparable.

Putting yourself in Chen Xuan's shoes, many people would admit that if they had such cultivation at his age, they would probably be arrogant and wouldn't dare to look down on him.
After they went inside, the other guests followed one after another. Soon, the group from the Cold Mountain Sword Sect arrived at the door. Chen Xuan greeted them politely as always, saying, "Greetings, Sect Leader Guo, Miss Guo, please come in."

Guo Sihai bowed and said apologetically, "Congratulations, Young Master Chen! I've come with my daughter to ask for a drink at your wedding. My daughter caused you trouble some time ago, and I apologize in advance. I hope you won't forget it."

He hurriedly bowed deeply, his gaze filled with emotion. This was none other than Yang Guo from back then! He had killed Liu Zhenwei with a single sword strike from afar, not only saving everyone present but also avenging his father, Guo Jinglong. He had done a great service to the entire Cold Mountain Sword Sect. He had originally intended to repay this debt, but unfortunately, Yang Guo had vanished like a fleeting shadow and could never be found again. Recently, he learned that Chen Xuan was Yang Guo, but given the vast difference in their abilities, he couldn't just rush over. This wedding of Chen Xuan presented an opportunity. Therefore, he had brought almost all of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect's specialty, Ice Silkworm Silk, as a congratulatory gift—a whole cartload! After all, Chen Xuan had been desperately seeking Ice Silkworm Silk for months, so this was a way to please him.

The apology he mentioned for Guo Qingxue causing trouble for Chen Xuan was naturally referring to Guo Qingxue's recent trip to Yang County to spend money on him. Upon learning of this, Guo Sihai did not blame Guo Qingxue; in fact, he was happy if it worked out. However, the fact that his daughter did not tell him about this beforehand annoyed him greatly. He thought, "You should have told me earlier so I could have given you some advice. You are too much of a worry."

After Guo Qingxue returned home that time, she remained sullen and wouldn't say what had happened. She seemed to be secretly grieving, and she had even lost some weight. This made Old Guo very anxious. He was worried that his daughter would suffer a loss, but he was also afraid that she might do something foolish. As a father, he was extremely conflicted. He only had this one precious daughter, and if anything happened to her, it would be the end of him. So he kept a close eye on his daughter's every move, afraid that she might do something stupid.

When they came to congratulate Chen Xuan, they asked Guo Qingxue if she wanted to come along. Guo Qingxue's eyes lit up, a stark contrast to her usual dejected demeanor. However, she immediately became evasive and fearful. Old Guo was so conflicted. So, what exactly happened when you went to Yang County, my daughter?
Chen Xuan's actions that day really frightened the little girl. It was one thing to like Chen Xuan, and she was even willing to give him away for free, but not in that way. Wasn't he treating her like a plaything? It was completely contrary to her imagined happy life. However, she couldn't tell anyone about this. She was too embarrassed to tell her own mother and could only grieve in secret.

The girl is clever, but simple-minded. She still hasn't figured it out and can't understand it. If she told someone else, an outsider would see things more clearly and would probably have already analyzed Chen Xuan's intentions for her. She wouldn't be so sad and upset now.

Hiding behind Guo Sihai, she felt both happy to see Chen Xuan again and apprehensive about his previous reckless behavior. She didn't dare to look him in the eye. The young girl was in a terrible state of mind. The person she liked was right in front of her, but he was about to marry someone else. She didn't even dare to speak to him. The young girl in love was suffering terribly.

Chen Xuan knew he had gone a bit too far, but in the end he hadn't really done anything to Guo Qingxue. He couldn't bring this up in public, or the young lady would be too ashamed to live. Besides, didn't such a big sect as Hanshan Sword Sect have any face to lose?
So Chen Xuan could only pretend nothing had happened and smiled, "Thank you for your blessings, Sect Leader Guo. Your daughter is so innocent and bright. I was quite negligent in the past, which was my fault. There's no trouble at all. I'm just glad you don't blame me, Sect Leader Guo. Please come in. I'll offer you a toast later, and Miss Guo as well. I hope you enjoy your meal. If I offended you in any way recently, please forgive me and don't take it to heart."

Upon hearing this, Guo Qingxue was overjoyed. She poked her head out, nodded, and smiled sweetly, "Yes, Brother Chen, then we'll take our leave."

At this moment, the young girl completely forgot about Chen Xuan's offensive behavior that day. Instead, she felt a little embarrassed. Since Brother Chen had apologized, of course she would forgive her.

Then the girl secretly regretted it. Looking back, Brother Chen's actions that day didn't seem so scary anymore. Why did she run away back then? If Brother Chen wanted it, she should have just given it to him. Anyway, she said she wouldn't marry anyone but him, so she would be his sooner or later. If she had given it to him back then, wouldn't she have been able to spend every day with Brother Chen?

But Brother Chen was really scary back then. With so many guests today, he probably won't do anything reckless. If it's like that day, should I give in or not?

Just because of Chen Xuan's apology, the girl was in a panic, her head was spinning, and all sorts of thoughts kept popping into her head.

Thankfully, Chen Xuan didn't have mind-reading abilities. If he knew what Guo Qingxue was thinking at this moment, he would definitely be both amused and exasperated, thinking to himself that this love-struck girl was beyond saving.

That being said, she's a young girl, inexperienced and naive. With preconceived notions, she'll easily convince herself with a little leeway, and then she'll worry about whether she did something wrong, like why she ran away when it was clearly a great thing. As for Chen Xuan's excessive behavior at the time, she automatically ignores it.

“Then we’ll be intruding. Young Master Chen, you don’t need to mind us. There are so many guests who need your attention. Please stay, we can go in by ourselves,” Guo Sihai nodded and smiled. He was still troubled about what had happened between his daughter and him, but now it seemed like nothing had happened.

After they entered, Chen Xuan noticed Guo Qingxue's constant turning back, especially her shy and timid appearance. His heart skipped a beat. What's wrong with this girl? It seems like she's come out of hiding? Her eyes are practically glued to him, as if they've gone back to the beginning, but even more intense than before. No, I can't say anything.

Chen Xuan was puzzled, but with a constant stream of guests, he didn't have time to think about it too much.

"Young Master Chen, congratulations! I heard about your wedding and came uninvited. Would you mind joining me for a drink at the wedding?" Zheng Wanqian, dressed in a gorgeous outfit, stepped forward and curtsied, her gentle eyes looking at him with a hint of sorrow.

You can't hide the look in someone's eyes when you like them. It's a cliché to ask for a favor that saved your life, but many girls fall for it.

When Chen Xuan was escorting Gao Jingming to the capital for the imperial examination, he saved her life when they passed by Niushou Mountain. Coupled with Chen Xuan's outstanding appearance and strength, he was simply irresistible to a young lady like Zheng Wanqian. It was as if she was instantly captivated by him, and from then on, he was the one in her heart.

She tried to get closer to him several times, but Chen Xuan wasn't interested. As the saying goes, what you can't have is always the best. The more she thought about it, the more she fell for him. She was almost ready to confess her feelings like He Hongyi and Guo Qingxue. But as a lady from a respectable family, she was too reserved to make such a direct move. Moreover, Chen Xuan misunderstood her and didn't treat her well.

She was the one who met Chen Xuan first, but now she's marrying Princess Fuyao. How could she not feel resentful? She could only bury her bitterness deep inside.

In terms of figure and appearance, she was no less than Princess Fuyao. In terms of wealth, to put it bluntly, Princess Fuyao couldn't compare to her. The only difference was their social status. Yet, Chen Xuan did not choose her.

One wrong step leads to another. If time could turn back, if I had shown concern for the guards first that day, Young Master Chen wouldn't have misunderstood me as a cold-hearted person. Would he have married me today?
Unfortunately, there aren't that many "what ifs" in life.

At the time, Zheng Wanqian did not leave a good impression on Chen Xuan. Even though she took many remedial measures afterward, Chen Xuan's first impression would not change. However, on this joyous occasion, guests are guests, so Chen Xuan naturally would not give her a cold shoulder. He greeted her with a smile and said, "Miss Zheng, you are too kind. I am delighted that you have graced my humble abode with your presence. And Mr. Zheng, I am very grateful for your hospitality. Please come in."

Master Zheng was a well-to-do middle-aged man. Chen Xuan's bow made him beam with joy, and he thought to himself that it was worth bringing so many congratulatory gifts. He immediately cupped his hands and said, "Congratulations, Young Master Chen. I apologize for disturbing you with my visit."

Having built his business to the level of a billionaire, he knew that no matter how much money he had, he was nothing more than a fat pig on a chopping board in front of the truly powerful and wealthy. That's why he showed up uninvited for Chen Xuan's wedding. He didn't seek to make friends with him, but he was afraid of being targeted. If he made a mistake, even mountains of gold and seas of silver would be nothing more than a word from him.

The Wu family, with its centuries-old history, is quite formidable, yet this person simply used their family genealogy to defeat them. Compared to them, my family's wealth is nothing.

It's a pity that he has already married Princess Fuyao. Otherwise, if he could become a son-in-law of the emperor, this huge family business would be incredibly stable for a hundred years. Without a top-notch backer, how long can he hold onto his vast family business?
Although many people come to propose marriage these days, Master Zheng is well aware of what they are after. He looks down on those of low status, and he fears that those of high status will be taken advantage of. So, despite his wealth, Master Zheng lives a life of constant anxiety.

"Bringing so many gifts this time, Young Master Chen must be very impressed. My daughter has feelings for him. Even if he marries Princess Fuyao—yes, he can take concubines—if my daughter is fortunate enough to catch his eye, she'll have a powerful backer. Who would dare to touch the Zheng family then? Besides, Young Master Chen isn't greedy for wealth and fame; he probably has no interest in such immense riches. I just wonder if my daughter will have that honor."

The thought popped into his mind, and Mr. Zheng glanced at his daughter Zheng Wanqian without leaving a trace. She had clearly dressed up carefully, but Young Master Chen didn't seem to have given her a second glance. Sigh, this is difficult.

When a person is outstanding to a certain extent, the world seems to revolve around them; but if they are humble, even a dog would despise them. That's just how realistic the world is.

Unaware of Master Zheng's ulterior motives, Chen Xuan asked the father and daughter to go inside and noticed the long list of congratulatory gifts, which amounted to more than ten cartloads—truly extravagant.

If it weren't for Chen Xuan's cultivation level, which, while not enough to allow him to do whatever he wanted, would certainly not be contradicted by the statement that he regarded money as dirt, otherwise, it would be hard for him not to be tempted by a rich woman like Zheng Wanqian, especially since she was so beautiful, practically the ultimate dream of countless men.

Sigh, being too outstanding brings a lot of troubles.

Chen Xuan secretly thought that it was fortunate that he was strong enough, and that no one dared to mess with his wife. Otherwise, these women, who were either from prominent backgrounds, highly skilled in cultivation, or wealthy, might have caused trouble because of him.

Under these circumstances, bloodshed is out of the question; people will simply offer their blessings and become witnesses to the wedding… (End of Chapter)