Dao Cheng Gui Xian

Chapter 299 Marrying a New Groom and Meeting Old Friends Again

Hearing the two women's words
Li Wushou's hand, which was halfway raised, froze in mid-air.

Son-in-law? Is he throwing a bridal bouquet?
Li Wushou glanced at the flower ball in his hand, speechless.

He had initially thought it was some kind of promotional event by a business, hence the commotion, and was too focused on finding an inn to pay much attention.

Now it seems that the building next to me should be an elegant teahouse with red silk ribbons tied to the railings on the second floor and big red flowers hanging from the eaves.

Behind the railing stood an elderly man in brocade robes, and beside him stood a woman whose face was covered by a white veil, her eyes filled with shyness.

At first glance, both of them appeared to possess cultivation, but it was obscured by something, making them appear blurry.

I glanced at the woman whose face was covered by a white cloth. She was holding a green leaf in her hands, which looked a bit like tea leaves.
The woman's overall posture resembled that of a shy young girl fidgeting with the hem of her clothes. Then, as if she had made up her mind, she spat the green leaf in her hand into her mouth.

That tea leaf was probably what concealed their auras, but Li Wushou didn't delve into it. Although he couldn't see clearly, the two were only at the Foundation Establishment stage, so there was nothing to be curious about.

Besides, he had no interest in being a son-in-law, even though the woman seemed to be quite good-looking.

If it were earlier in Wufang City, and a wealthy family was looking for a son-in-law, he might have gone there to earn a living, but now it's best to forget about it.

She picked up the bouquet in her hand and was about to toss it back to the two maids in front of her.

Just then, the old beggar inside the Three Immortals Pavilion interrupted Li Wushou:

"Wait, let's go take a look."

The old man kept chuckling after Li Wushou accepted the embroidered ball, constantly urging Chen Gou'er to drink wedding wine, looking excited to join in the fun.

This left Li Wushou speechless!
He couldn't help but think to himself, "This embroidered ball should have been caught by the old beggar!"

He then ignored the old beggar and threw the flower ball directly.

The two maids were taken aback when they saw Li Wushou throw the flower ball back. After catching the flower ball, they turned their eyes around and stood on either side of Li Wushou, about to put the flower ball on his chest.

Li Wushou frowned and was about to leave when the old beggar inside the Three Immortals Pavilion stopped his strange laughter and said seriously:

"Really go check it out. That girl's scent is off; it smells like an old acquaintance."

Li Wushou paused, a hint of doubt in his mind, and asked:

"Really?"

The old beggar nodded solemnly, and Li Wushou also became somewhat suspicious, standing still and looking at the father and daughter on the second floor of the teahouse again.

Seeing this, the two maids thought Li Wushou was a little embarrassed, so they put the flower ball in their hands on Li Wushou's chest and then led him towards the teahouse.

The elderly man in brocade robes on the second floor chuckled upon seeing this, and bowed to the crowd in thanks:

"Thank you all for gracing our home with the ceremony of my daughter Wenyan throwing the embroidered ball. The Deng family has prepared a simple feast and banquet at the teahouse and cordially invites you all to come."

Upon hearing this, the crowd downstairs erupted in cheers.

Li Wushou, who had just entered the teahouse, suddenly had a glint in his eyes and asked the maid beside him:
"The Deng family? The Deng family from the Seven Star Chamber of Commerce?"

The two girls were not surprised to hear this. It would be strange if they didn't know about the Deng family in Chaohai City. Although the Deng family here was not the main family, the branch family of the main family stationed in Chaohai City was equally famous.

"It's best if the son-in-law knows the Deng family. The Deng family and Miss will not mistreat you. You can rest assured and enjoy a life of luxury with Miss."

Upon hearing the two girls confirm, Li Wushou thought to himself, "What a coincidence!"

He first learned about the Deng family from Blackwing Cat.

The other party compiled and relayed the information about the size of the Fubo Domain's influence to Li Wushou.

The second time was through Ji Gu. After learning that Li Wushou wanted to get to Zhenhai City as soon as possible, Ji Gu gave Li Wushou a suggestion: to take the airship.

This flying boat is one of the businesses operated by the Seven Stars Chamber of Commerce, and is entirely managed by the Deng family.

The business in Chaohai City is handled by the Deng family's lineage led by True Monarch Biluo.

Therefore, I had heard of Li Wushou of the Deng family.

But something about what those two little girls were saying sounded a bit strange.

As they spoke, the three of them walked into the back room of the teahouse.

Unlike the teahouse, this place wasn't decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and it didn't look like a wedding ceremony was being held. Li Wushou breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it probably wasn't a place for a wedding ceremony.

Not long after the three of them stood still, the old man in brocade robes came downstairs with a woman whose face was covered by a white veil and walked in front of them.

The two young girls beside Li Wushou quickly bowed in greeting. The old man in brocade waved his hand, but his gaze was fixed on Li Wushou. After looking him up and down, he nodded, clearly very satisfied.

His vital energy is abundant. He has never worshipped any gods. His vital energy is almost comparable to that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. It is rare to see a cultivator who pays such attention to his physical body among rogue cultivators. He is truly remarkable!
He then spoke to Li Wushou:
"Congratulations, son-in-law, on accepting the embroidered ball today. I am your future father-in-law, Deng Jiushan, and this is my daughter, Deng Wenyan, who will also be your future wife. May I ask how you should address me, son-in-law?"

As Deng Jiushan spoke, Deng Wenyan, who was standing to the side, seemed a little shy and lowered her head slightly, while her eyes were constantly sizing up Li Wushou.

Beneath the white towel, her tongue lightly licked her lips, and she murmured to herself:

What strong vitality! No wonder it caught my eye at first glance.

The father and daughter sized up Li Wushou, while Li Wushou was also sizing them up.

After the old beggar's reminder, he also became serious.

The cultivation levels of these two were immediately apparent. Deng Wenyan was indeed at the Foundation Establishment stage, but Deng Jiushan was not; the other party was actually a genuine External Alchemy Master.

A camellia was blooming in the heart of the other party. This flower replaced the heart and supplied blood and qi. It was Deng Jiushan's external elixir.

It looks alright, but in a family like the Deng family, to achieve the status of a True Person through external alchemy is really quite poor talent. After all, even among the five major families in Wangxian City, it is difficult for an External Alchemy True Person to become a leading figure.

But he failed to detect the familiar aura of the old beggar.

Is this old man lying to people?

Li Wushou's heart skipped a beat, but the old beggar inside the Three Immortals Pavilion was pounding his chest loudly, claiming that he was absolutely not mistaken and that Li Wushou would understand once he went to the Deng family with him.

When asked again, they refused to answer, presumably because they also wanted to join in the festivities of the so-called wedding banquet.

Beggars always have a particular fondness for such occasions!

Li Wushou made a sarcastic remark and replied to Deng Jiushan, "Just call me Li Wushou!"

His voice was clear and resonant, neither arrogant nor humble.

Deng Jiushan smiled but remained silent, while Deng Wenyan couldn't help but glance at Li Wushou a few more times. There weren't many people in Chaohai City who could remain so calm upon hearing about the Deng family.

This made her even happier; who wouldn't want their husband to be handsome and dashing?
It's a bit of a shame.
Just then, a man who looked like a butler walked in from the courtyard.

He bowed respectfully to Deng Jiushan and Deng Wenyan at the head of the table and said:

"Ninth Master, Ninth Miss, it's almost time. We've received word from home that the other eight gentlemen are all ready and it's time to take their son-in-law back to the manor."

Deng Jiushan chuckled and ordered, "Go arrange the flying boat!"

The butler bowed and agreed, then walked out of the courtyard.

Deng Wenyan, standing to the side, suppressed her smile somewhat, but remained silent as always.

Li Wushou, however, revealed a look of great interest. The other eight gentlemen?
There is a long tea plantation on the northern mountain of Chaohai City.

There are nine mountains, forming a large valley.

Throughout the valley, Biluochun tea, the favorite of Deng family's Yuan Ying—the True Lord of Azure Heaven, is planted everywhere.

The black flying boat sliced ​​through the sky, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, and slowly landed in the mansion in the center of the valley.

This mansion, named Tingyou, is where the Azure Heaven True Lord usually meditates in seclusion, and it is very quiet all year round.

The manor was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, creating a festive atmosphere.

But despite the festive atmosphere, there was no lively feeling; it was surprisingly quiet.

After Li Wushou stepped out of the flying boat, he was led by Deng Wenyan's two maids to a side room in the back hall of the mansion.

Several old women were about to come in to help Li Wushou change into his wedding clothes, but two maids took the clothes from them, told them they were there to change, and then asked the old women to leave the courtyard.

Li Wushou ignored the negotiations between the two parties, entered the private room, sat at the tea table, and closed his eyes in deep thought.

Two maids hurriedly stepped forward to brew a pot of tea, then stood aside with the wedding dress in their arms, but neither of them mentioned changing clothes again.

The two had received special instructions from the young lady and the master to take good care of the young master.

Before entering Tingyou Mansion, the flying boat first went to a tea mountain surrounding the valley.

That mountain is called Jiushan. The villa where Deng Jiushan and his daughter usually live is located on the top of Jiushan. They disembarked from the flying boat there to make some preparations for the wedding banquet.

After this pleasant conversation, the Deng father and daughter developed an even stronger liking for Li Wushou, and even felt as if they had known each other for a long time.

Li Wushou also learned from the conversation that today's wedding was not just one event, but nine events held at once.

Apart from Deng Jiushan's family, his eight elder brothers, starting with Deng Yishan and ending with Deng Bashan, each had a daughter who threw a bridal bouquet today to choose a husband.

That's why the teahouse manager said the other eight gentlemen were ready when he urged them to hurry.

The fact that nine weddings were being held at once was something even Li Wushou found incredibly novel.

Given the scale of the Deng family's celebration, it should have been a gathering of distinguished guests.

But based on the observations just now, that's not actually the case.

In this vast Tingyou Mansion, not a single guest has arrived yet. Only a few servants are busy at work, making the originally festive red silk inexplicably filled with an eerie blood-red hue.

Even other families within the Seven Stars Chamber of Commerce did not receive an invitation, which is extremely abnormal!
Moreover, as the Deng family is the most prestigious family in Chaohai City, isn't it a bit too casual for the women in the family to choose to throw embroidered balls?
Even if the Deng family doesn't need to rely on marriage alliances with other families, their decision to throw out a bridal bouquet is still hard to understand.

When asked why the Deng family acted this way, both the father and daughter seemed puzzled.

He simply replied: This was all done according to the wishes of True Lord Biluo.

This piqued Li Wushou's interest even more; it seemed the problem lay with this True Monarch Biluo.

With his divine soul covering the Tingyou Mansion, Li Wushou sensed the aura of a Nascent Soul True Monarch in a quiet hermitage in the back hall. This aura was cold, gloomy, and contained, filled with a chilling and desolate atmosphere that seemed to annihilate all things.

He did not choose to go deeper into it because Li Wushou sensed the aura of the magic array around Jing'an.

Furthermore, out of curiosity about the old beggar's so-called "old friend," and to avoid alerting the enemy, Li Wushou withdrew his divine sense. However, during this process, Li Wushou discovered eight other grooms who had received the embroidered ball near the villa where he was.

They arrived earlier, and unlike Li Wushou, they were all beaming with joy, immersed in the anticipation of marrying the Deng family's daughter.

The bride was already dressed in her bright red wedding robe, looking ready to go.

These people, whether highly or lightly cultivated, were all young and strong, with vital energy far exceeding that of ordinary people.

This does indeed resemble the preferences of an old friend in Li Wushou's mind.

The first lantern
The already quiet mansion became even more tranquil. Suddenly, a bell rang out from within the mansion, and then several streaks of light rose from the top of the Nine Peaks outside the valley, flying towards the mansion.

Seeing this, Li Wushou knew that this unique wedding banquet was about to begin.

Not only were Deng Jiushan and the others rushing over, but the aura within the Jing'an Temple in the back hall was also beginning to ripple, clearly indicating that True Monarch Biluo was also beginning to awaken.

Seeing this, Li Wushou got up, stretched, and casually took the wedding dress from the maid's hand, preparing to put it on.

But after the wedding dress was removed, it was discovered that the maid was still holding a piece of red cloth.

Just as Li Wushou was wondering what the red cloth was for, he saw the old woman from the neighboring courtyard directly cover the groom's head with the red cloth.

Li Wushou, who had been calm, suddenly turned pale.

Is this a red veil?
So it turns out the Deng family was getting married?
Although Li Wushou only wanted to see his old friend and had no intention of going through any formal wedding ceremony with Deng Wenyan, a point that was also acknowledged by Deng Jiushan and his daughter, Li Wushou still felt offended when he saw the red veil!

Li Wushou had doubted whether he was human, but he never doubted whether he was a man!
Inside the Three Immortals Pavilion, the old beggar was taken aback when he saw the red veil, but then he burst into laughter.

Marrying into a powerful immortal cultivation clan is not something to be ashamed of, but it is indeed rare for the groom to wear a veil.

Chen Gou'er was also laughing uncontrollably, clutching his stomach. Although he wasn't very bright, he had begged for food before. He also knew that only brides wore veils.

Is Li Wushou becoming a bride?

Thinking this, Chen Gou'er couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Li Wushou let out a long sigh of relief, calming his emotions.

The red cloth in the maid's hand suddenly burst into flames without any fire, startling the maid so much that she quickly threw it to the ground, and in the blink of an eye, the red cloth burned to ashes.

The two maids were somewhat confused and at a loss when the door to the room was knocked open.

Several old women stood outside the door, urging:

"The auspicious time is approaching. Please invite Ninth Son-in-law to the main hall for the wedding ceremony."

Upon seeing that Li Wushou was not wearing his wedding attire, his hair was casually tied back, and he was not wearing any red cloth, the several matrons gave the two maids who were taking on too much responsibility a reproachful look.

Just as he was about to step forward to help Li Wushou put on his wedding clothes, he suddenly heard a clear voice in his ear.

"Let's go to the lobby!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it inexplicably carried a powerful, inspiring force.

The old women and two maids instantly forgot about the wedding dress and veil, unanimously agreeing that Li Wushou was in excellent condition and had a dignified appearance.

One of the old women even couldn't help but sigh:
"Ninth son-in-law is really handsome!"

The two maids behind him nodded from time to time, indicating their approval!

But Li Wushou was in no mood to accept praise that was a blow to his reputation.

If it weren't for the fact that his old friend was difficult to capture, Li Wushou would probably have rushed straight to Jing'an and killed the Biluo Zhenjun who was wasting his time.

This bad mood reached its peak when I stepped out of the courtyard and saw the bridal sedan chair parked at the door!
He had ridden in a bridal sedan chair before, and although he felt uncomfortable in Daishan City in the Misty Land last time, it was nothing compared to this time.

With a thought, the Dharma Realm enveloped oneself.

A vertical line appeared between his brows, and a drop of blood flowed from his brow, landing on his fingertips.

Simultaneously, ink mist rose from between his fingers, mingling with fresh blood, transforming into a single, vibrant drop of ink. His right arm soared into the air, and with a flourish of his brush, a figure wearing a veil was instantly depicted.

The figure looked somewhat crooked, with legs and arms of different lengths, and the facial features were distorted, with the smaller of the two eyes being the least noticeable problem on the face.

However, with a red veil covering her head, apart from the slightly pointed top, nothing else could be seen.

With a flick of his wrist, he draped the wedding robe over the figure.

The wedding robe was wide, and the slightly crooked body was covered inside, so it was not visible.

However, the figure seemed a bit short, so Li Wushou added a thick shoe sole to Huaying's shoe.

From the outside, he does look like a person!
Anyway, he's a son-in-law who came by throwing a bridal bouquet, so who would know him?

Moreover, the painting was permeated with the aura of Li Wushou's flesh and blood. Although only a drop of blood was incorporated, it was enough to create the impression of youthful vigor.

As for Deng Jiushan and Deng Wenyan, their minds had already been possessed by him on the flying boat they had come on.

For Li Wushou, the distortion of the senses of the sedan chair bearers, the nanny, and the maid was a matter of a single thought.

So what is there to worry about?

However, Li Wushou really didn't want to paint this picture. He himself couldn't stand the sight of it. If it weren't for the wedding veil covering his face, Li Wushou really wouldn't have had the courage to pick up the brush.

The old beggar and Chen Gou'er were laughing so hard they almost fainted.

It seems I need to find a painting teacher for the Paper Goddess sometime to improve her painting skills. It's a waste that this painting, which is supposed to be realistic but is actually useless.

Finally, a wisp of mist drifted down from between her brows and entered the veil, slightly reshaping her face. Then, the spirit within her golden core whispered something.

"Let's go!"

The painted figure, dressed in a wedding robe, walked out from within the Dharma realm and entered the sedan chair.

The sedan bearers then lifted the sedan chair, and the other eight grooms had already been carried to the hall by the sedan chair ahead of Li Wushou.

Apart from the painted figure sitting in the sedan chair, Li Wushou himself, along with several nannies and maids, followed behind the sedan chair bearers at the very back of the procession.

However, at this moment he was shrouded in the power of the boundary, and the space between his brows was filled with the fragrance of incense, so others could not detect it.

From the side room to the main hall, although it was inside the mansion, it still felt like a long journey. It took the group a full cup of tea to get there.

Although the roadside was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, not a single person was seen.

It seemed as if all the servants of Tingyou Mansion had gathered in the group carrying the sedan chair.

As Li Wushou approached the hall, he sensed a surge of energy; joyful sounds began to fill the air, adding to the lively atmosphere.

Nine bridal sedan chairs were parked side by side in the courtyard outside the hall, yet the space did not appear crowded.

The servants in the mansion immediately picked up a brazier and placed it in front of the nine-tiered bridal sedan chair.

The nine daughters of the Deng family, who were getting married today, walked to the sedan chairs in their finest attire. The nannies accompanying each sedan chair then stepped out and lifted the curtains.

The nine women helped the nine grooms out of the sedan chairs, and after stepping over the brazier, they entered the hall.

A portrait hangs at the front of the hall. The portrait depicts a Taoist nun dressed in black robes. This Taoist nun is none other than Deng Jiuyou, the Nascent Soul cultivator from the Deng family!

The person sitting in the main seat below was also a Taoist nun.

The Taoist nun had white hair and a youthful face, with gloomy eyes and a chilling aura emanating from her body. She didn't look like a Nascent Soul True Monarch, but rather like a Yin God.

In his left hand he held a clean bottle with a tea tree branch stuck in it.

This is none other than True Lord Biluo, the person in charge of the Deng family stationed in Chaohai City!
The moment the nine women led the groom into the hall, the nine leaves on the tea tree branch suddenly shimmered with red light from their lush green color, eventually turning completely red.

One of them was an unusually bright red, and even that leaf had turned into something like glass.

Biluo Zhenjun's face showed surprise, and he glanced at Deng Wenyan with some delight before speaking with a face full of praise:
"Little Jiu did a good job, you deserve credit!"

Deng Jiushan, who was sitting at the very back on the right, stood up excitedly and bowed to Biluo Zhenjun:

"Thank you, ancestor!"

The other eight people sitting at the head of the table all looked at Deng Jiushan with envy.

Then everyone began to look at Li Wushou beside Deng Wenyan, and they were all shocked by the aura and blood revealed in Li Wushou's painted body.

What luck! To be able to find such a talented person even when throwing a bridal bouquet?
Everyone was full of complaints!

Just then, a woman dressed as a matron emerged from the side hall next to True Monarch Biluo. Like the nine daughters of the Deng family, this matron also covered her face with a white veil.

But anyone with a discerning eye could tell that this so-called nanny was not very old, and was probably around the same age as the ninth girl.

The moment the other person stepped out, they walked to the side of True Monarch Biluo, turned around, and called out to the men and women in the hall:

"The auspicious time has arrived, let's sign the marriage contract!"

The sound was clear and crisp, like a silver bell, which confirmed everyone's previous guess.

But who is this girl?
Even the Deng family's nine mountains had little recollection of them.

The servants, who had been waiting nearby, stood before the nine couples, each holding a red contract with a dragon and phoenix design.

The contract is quite complex, but it can be summarized as follows: after signing the contract, the marriage is complete, and the groom will become a member of the Deng family and shoulder the responsibility of revitalizing the Deng family.

The grooms, who had initially harbored some reservations about marrying into the Deng family, were now filled with pride. They had never received such attention before and were eager to serve the Deng family even at the cost of their lives.

Then one by one, they picked up a pen, signed their names, and pressed their bloody handprints on the paper!

After everyone had finished writing, the servants collected the contracts and handed them to the girl beside the True Lord of Azure Sky.

The girl put away the contract, a smile appearing in her eyes, and announced again:

"The engagement is done, let's go to the bridal chamber!"

He then nodded slightly to Lord Biluo and left from the side hall with the contract in his hand.

The moment Li Wushou saw the girl outside the hall, a glint flashed in his eyes, and he murmured softly:
"It really is an old friend I haven't seen in a long time!"

(End of this chapter)