Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 482 Happy Wedding, May You Be Blissful for the Rest of Your Life

PS: This is from yesterday.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Pei Chuyun, who was eavesdropping along with them, also felt a bit cuckolded. What on earth was she doing...?

The only motivation for her to keep listening was the desire to hear Shen Tang's humiliating defeat. She knew all too well Lu Xingzhou's current fighting prowess; how could a mere newbie possibly withstand him?
I'm afraid he'll die after only half a cup of tea, hehe.

As time went by, an incense stick's worth of time passed, and there was still no sign of it stopping. Pei Chuyun tragically discovered that, in this aspect, she, as the Holy Maiden of the Joyous Union, was still the weakest.

She can be considered the most disgraceful "Holy Maiden of Harmony" in history.

Shen Tang was surprisingly resilient, after all, she was more of a martial arts practitioner. Although she hadn't undergone the special wind and thunder body tempering like Sheng Yuanyao, her cultivation was still strong.

Once Lu Xingzhou guided Shen Tang on the application of the Great Joy and Bliss Sutra during the dual cultivation process, the two officially entered the dual cultivation stage, and Shen Tang learned very quickly.

The dual cultivation lasted for more than half an hour, allowing Shen Tang to directly enter the peak of the second rank and glimpse the edge of the first rank. It also made Lu Xingzhou's newly broken through to the first rank more stable, allowing him to break through one or two minor barriers.

"So this kind of thing is really so enjoyable." Afterwards, Shen Tang slumped against Lu Xingzhou's shoulder, gently stroking his eight-pack abs: "I used to be so lazy, using my feet and hands and stuff, I was the one who got tired, and you just enjoyed yourself... Turns out, the real pleasure is when you put in the effort."

Lu Xingzhou reached out and gently stroked her slightly sweaty hair, and said with a smile, "How about we give it our all one more time?"

This is a two-sided thing. Men may work hard, but the psychological sense of accomplishment they gain from conquering the world is unparalleled.

Shen Tang possessed the fierceness of a swordsman, the nobility of a princess, and the majesty of a sect leader. Normally exuding an air of authority, her submissive, almost ecstatic state beneath him was all the more captivating. Moreover, their mutual affection surpassed countless other things in the mortal world.

Lu Xingzhou, having tasted the sweetness, became craving more and more.

"No, no, I have no strength left." Shen Tang was so frightened when she saw him turn over and try to get on top of her again that she begged for mercy: "There are two more brides today, go find them, I agree, I agree, I really agree."

Two sharp "whoosh" sounds came from outside, and the two eavesdroppers turned and disappeared in a flash.

Only a madman would ask for a refill at this point; do they even care about saving face?
That's ridiculous. They were out in the cold wind for an hour for nothing.

Lu Xingzhou actually knew that the two were eavesdropping outside, but he felt embarrassed to arrest them at this time, as it would be too disrespectful. Besides, Shen Tang certainly didn't want her first time to involve multiple people, so he should just keep her company tonight.

He didn't say anything, but kissed Shen Tang's forehead: "Alright, just kidding, time to rest."

Shen Tang, equally insightful, smiled sweetly across her listless face: "Mm."

Exhausted, the two fell asleep quickly, embracing each other. The two eavesdroppers waited anxiously for a while, but seeing that Lu Xingzhou didn't disregard their feelings and come to refill their cups, they breathed a sigh of relief and went to sleep peacefully.

Tonight, only one person is truly sleepless.

Yuan Muyu sat quietly in the alley outside the Lu residence until dawn, then sighed and silently left.

…………

But other unrelated people, there are still others who are sleepless.

For example, Gu Zhanting tonight.

He was trapped inside the altar, bound by the Dragon-Trapping Formation. His guards were not related to the new emperor; they were all people from the Tianyao Holy Land.

That's why Lu Xingzhou was able to go in and see him a few days ago.

This also proves that Gu Yiheng's power is far from what a normal emperor should have; he doesn't even have the right to imprison Gu Zhanting. This is reflected in the fact that the dynasty is on the verge of collapse.

However, today, under the heavy protection and array defenses of the Tianyao Holy Land, a cold wind suddenly rose around Gu Zhanting, who was preparing to rest.

Gu Zhanting opened his eyes and sat up.

The pearl on the wall reflected a dim light, illuminating Gu Yiheng's figure beside it. Neither the guards nor the array seemed to exist for him; he appeared directly inside.

"You've arrived?" Gu Zhanting seemed unsurprised, calmly tidying his appearance. "You deliberately chose today because you thought Ye Tinglan and Lu Xingzhou wouldn't have time to attend to things here?"

"More or less." Gu Yiheng smiled slightly: "Lu Xingzhou is very shrewd, and it's not easy to act under his nose under normal circumstances. Unfortunately, everyone has weaknesses, and Lu Xingzhou's weakness is particularly ridiculous. This kind of meaningless mundane marriage can consume most of his energy. Ye Tinglan is the same. I heard that she is smashing a cup in the National Temple. It seems that she failed to achieve the desired effect when playing the role of the elder."

Gu Zhanting: "..."

“Those who know them would say they are the most influential figures in this world, while those who don’t would think it’s just children playing house.” Gu Yiheng said, “Isn’t it funny that you lost to people like them?”

Gu Zhanting said calmly, "Don't speak so soon. Don't you think you might lose to people like them?"

"Neither you nor they know what I want to do, so what's the point of winning or losing?"

Gu Zhanting remained silent.

"However, Father Emperor has surprised me." Gu Yiheng looked Gu Zhanting up and down, his eyes filled with surprise: "You actually dispersed your last wisp of life force... or rather, gave it to someone? Oh right, I heard that Lu Xingzhou came to see you a few days ago." Gu Zhanting said indifferently: "What's wrong with giving it to him?"

Gu Yiheng laughed: "He is the enemy who caused all your failures. You had this kind of composure all along. Where were you before?"

“People’s thoughts are different at different times. When I was young, I was determined to revitalize the Great Qian Dynasty, but I never imagined that many years later I would ruin the Great Qian Dynasty with my own hands.” Gu Zhanting said leisurely, “Similarly, if I had known this would happen twenty years ago, I would have covered you up on the wall.”

"...You should know I'm not Gu Yiheng, who are you trying to fool?"

"That's because there must be some loophole in Yi Heng that you exploited, otherwise why didn't you choose Yi Cheng and Yi Tang?" Gu Zhanting said calmly, "Your possession is very special. It must be very harmonious and close to the original person. Otherwise, even if you live in seclusion, Ye Tinglan and I should be able to see it. But even now, face to face, I can't see any signs of possession."

"What can you possibly see now?" Gu Yiheng chuckled, "With your current level of cultivation, which is so decrepit and exhausted?"

Gu Zhanting nodded and said, "That's true. But since I'm going to die anyway, can I at least die knowing why?"

Gu Zhanting had been involved in many conspiracies and understood a certain psychology of conspirators: once they succeeded in doing something, they would have a triumphant urge to confide in others, especially when they saw the shocked and hateful expressions on the victims' faces.

Without this step, what's the difference between this and traveling in disguise? Even if you succeed, you'll miss out on a thrilling moment.

Therefore, Gu Yiheng will most likely say so.

As expected, Gu Yiheng said leisurely, "Rather than saying it's possession, it's more like planting a seed, watering it, and when the seed fills his soul, he becomes me. In fact, theoretically, this body is still Gu Yiheng, but since his thoughts are synchronized with mine, he has become me."

Gu Zhanting said, "Is she more like the incarnation of the Mysterious Maiden? She has countless transformations."

"That's true. Pei Chuyun has the seed of the Mystic Maiden within her, so the Mystic Maiden didn't directly seize her body by attacking her spiritual platform, but instead activated the seed... Unfortunately, Pei Chuyun's soul is stable, and she also has the Heavenly Net Umbrella, making the dam solid and preventing the seed from sprouting. But this problem still exists. I wonder how Lu Xingzhou will deal with it in the future. Will he discover that he's become the Mystic Maiden while they're making love? I'm really looking forward to seeing that day, hahahaha..."

Gu Yiheng laughed heartily, while Gu Zhanting said, "You have a grudge against Lu Xingzhou too? Your desire for him to suffer is quite interesting."

Gu Yiheng smiled and said, "It is true. But there's no need to tell Father Emperor about it."

Gu Zhanting said, "There's one more thing."

"Father, please speak."

"Knowing that I am now a cripple, you can kill me in many ways, or even without killing me, as I will die of old age in two years. Why are you in such a hurry to take action yourself? Aren't you afraid of leaving a flaw that could indicate patricide?"

“Of course, there are some things that can only be done by oneself.” Gu Yiheng smiled slightly: “Father, are you aware that your Mountain and River Sacrifice is only a simplified version?”

Gu Zhanting finally narrowed his eyes.

Gu Yiheng sighed: "First of all, the Great Qian Dynasty cannot represent the entire land. Secondly... without the emperor himself among the offerings, how can it be called a sacrifice to the mountains and rivers..."

Gu Zhanting nodded slightly: "I understand. But now I am not only no longer the emperor, I don't even have a trace of life left, what use is it for you to kill me?"

"That doesn't matter... You were once, that's enough. Just like when I defeat Long Qinghuang in the future, she will only be 'once the Demon Emperor'."

As Gu Yiheng spoke, he finally reached out and touched Gu Zhanting's forehead: "I've said what I needed to say. Father can rest in peace now. Is there anything else you'd like to say before you die?"

Gu Zhanting revealed a strange smile: "Yes... My life has been unremarkable, but I would rather die at the hands of a hero than at the hands of a villain. You may prepare to sacrifice yourself."

Gu Yiheng's heart skipped a beat as he saw black flames erupt from Gu Zhanting's body, burning him to ashes in an instant.

Lu Xingzhou's Boundless Black Flame was always the most silent and stealthy. After it entered Gu Zhanting's body, its main body returned to the Soul Banner, but a trace of it remained, making it even more concealed.

Originally intended to prevent Gu Zhanting from having any backup plans, Lu Xingzhou, knowing the new emperor was problematic, reached a tacit understanding with Gu Zhanting. If Gu Zhanting so desired, Hei Yan could deliver a swift and painful blow at any time.

The fire destroyed everything in an instant, leaving Gu Yiheng unable to collect even a single component.

Gu Yiheng subconsciously tried to unleash his power to stop it, but he was already a step too late, only managing to extinguish the wisp of black flame completely.

“Lu Xingzhou…” Gu Yiheng’s gentle expression turned ferocious in the darkness: “It’s not over between us.”

As soon as the black flames died down, Lu Xingzhou, who had just fallen asleep, immediately sensed something and opened his eyes: "He really is Qian Yuan."

The main body of the black flame emerged from the soul banner and relayed the words that the wisp of the clone had just heard in its entirety.

Shen Tang also woke up, listening silently to Hei Yan's story, her eyes slightly red: "He...is dead?"

Hei Yan smiled obsequiously: "Reporting to the mistress, the late emperor said that he could not be a prisoner and could have died a few days ago. The reason he lived a few more days was only to extract information, which I hope will be useful to you."

Shen Tang was silent for a moment, then whispered, "What else did he say?"

He said: "Disasters come from outside, and misfortunes are self-inflicted. He has become so deluded that he will inevitably cause harm wherever he goes. Finally, he said... there is no need to sigh for him. I wish Tang'er a happy marriage and a joyful life."

[End of Volume 5]

(End of this chapter)