…Were they arranging marriages for the twelve Ruyi Envoys?
As soon as Yu Nongqing made her announcement, discussion broke out among the rogue cultivators and Golden Core disciples throughout the great hall.
Some communicated through spiritual sense, others spoke in low voices, and their expressions varied considerably.
Xu Ziqing saw that many cultivators were genuinely surprised, but others looked perfectly composed, as though they had known about this all along.
Could it be…? He had a suspicion and looked toward the Wuling Immortal Sect disciples. The core disciples appeared to be aware of the matter. Several other Golden Core cultivators were confused, noticed their different reactions, and began asking them questions.
Xu Ziqing turned to his senior brother. “Senior Brother, did you know about this too?”
Yun Lie nodded slightly. “The Sect Master mentioned it.”
Xu Ziqing felt a buzzing in his head. For a moment, his mind went blank.
He almost blurted out, “Then are you interested, Senior Brother?” But he restrained himself. Whatever his senior brother thought, as his junior brother he should not ask such an impertinent question.
Though he had kept it to himself, Xu Ziqing spent the following moments in a daze. Countless thoughts seemed to race through his head, yet at the same time there seemed to be nothing there at all. An indescribable emotion lodged in his chest. He could neither name nor understand it.
Since resolving to pursue the immortal path, Xu Ziqing had never experienced such a violent disturbance of his state of mind. His earlier moments of instability were trivial by comparison.
Fortunately, even with his thoughts overwhelmed, his instincts remained. He immediately circulated his cultivation method in silence, guarding his inner foundation. He intended to steady his mind first and then gradually untangle the source of his agitation.
But this time Xu Ziqing had overestimated himself. In the past, merely recognizing a problem had allowed him to calm down little by little. Now that heavy emotion weighed on his heart, and nothing he tried could restrain it.
Worse, he did not even know what he wanted.
Time passed without his noticing as he struggled to settle his thoughts.
Only when a hand came to rest on his shoulder did he regain a little clarity. “…Senior Brother?”
As he recognized the white-robed sword cultivator before him, his vision gradually cleared.
Only then did Xu Ziqing realize that many people were filing out of the hall. The two Venerables were also gone from the lofty thrones.
Had the birthday banquet… ended?
Seeing Xu Ziqing so muddled, Yun Lie’s surrounding aura suddenly became oppressive. “Come with me.”
Xu Ziqing paused, then recovered a little more. “…Yes, Senior Brother.”
Yun Lie walked in front and Xu Ziqing followed. The other twenty-odd Wuling Immortal Sect disciples kept to one side. Sensing the chill radiating from Yun Lie, Ou Mubai and the others were alarmed. They did not dare disturb him, and even stopped conversing.
Everyone already knew the way back. Before long they returned to the Guest Residence. After taking their leave of Yun Lie, the other disciples went to their own courtyards. Whatever happened between these two martial brothers was none of their business.
The two men pushed open the gate to their small courtyard and entered.
The night was cool as water, moonlight filling the courtyard, but Xu Ziqing was in no mood to admire it. The daze and turmoil he had experienced earlier had now been suppressed.
He smiled bitterly to himself. His senior brother must have noticed his strange behavior. Perhaps Yun Lie was angry with him.
Only after they entered the room and Yun Lie shut the door with a sweep of his sleeve did Xu Ziqing’s restless speculation finally cease.
Yun Lie moved the Go board aside with a wave of his hand, sat on the couch and immediately asked, “Your thoughts have been unsettled recently. Is there some difficulty with your cultivation?”
Xu Ziqing stared. So his senior brother wasn’t angry after all?
He sighed inwardly. His emotions were so complicated that he did not know where to begin.
In truth, his cultivation had progressed smoothly of late, without the slightest obstruction. Each time he entered meditation, he made gains. Ruyi Immortal Estate was full of thriving flowers and vegetation, with abundant Wood qi that greatly benefited a Wood-attribute cultivator. Moreover, he had refined the Bitter Bamboo, sharpening his clarity of mind. Some of the ancient Wood qi contained within it also constantly nourished his soul.
Far from encountering an obstacle, he was progressing quickly. He seemed almost to have touched the threshold of the Essence Transformation stage. After accumulating strength a little longer, his breakthrough should come naturally.
Yet ever since arriving at the estate, Xu Ziqing had felt vaguely agitated. Discovering tonight that the estate’s women intended to select Dao companions among the guests had only made it worse. It was like a boulder pressing on his chest, leaving him unable to breathe.
Whenever he tried to find the cause, however, his thoughts became a hopeless tangle, with no loose end to grasp.
If even he could not understand himself, how could he explain it to his senior brother?
Still, Yun Lie’s concern lightened his heart a little. He smiled. “Perhaps I’ve gained many insights lately, and since coming here I’ve sensed that strange things are happening in the estate, so my state of mind has become unsteady. I don’t know how to settle it yet, but I’ll do my best…” He considered a moment, then added with a smile, “If I behave improperly, please watch over me, Senior Brother, so I don’t embarrass our Wuling Immortal Sect.”
At first he had merely invented an explanation. But the more he said, the more plausible it sounded to him.
A demonic cultivator had unexpectedly appeared in the estate. That was serious enough to cause him worry. Besides, in the small world he had encountered only one evil demonic-path expert, the Blood Demon. Facing another such person now, at Nascent Soul, was ample reason for unease.
As for the deeper cause… Xu Ziqing pressed it down in his heart and brushed it away like dust.
Yun Lie listened and nodded. “If anything troubles you, you may tell me.”
Xu Ziqing smiled and answered, “Thank you, Senior Brother.”
They let the subject drop.
After thinking a little, Xu Ziqing spoke again. “Senior Brother, while I was distracted, were there any important announcements at the banquet?” The prospect of the Ruyi Envoys choosing Dao companions still weighed on him, but he could not afford to miss relevant news.
Yun Lie always answered his junior brother’s questions and recounted everything that had happened during the banquet.
Some details differed from what the Sect Master had previously told him.
The core disciples had earlier received the Sect Master’s spiritual transmission explaining that, at this Immortal Fruit Gathering, participants could compete for Posuo Fruits as usual. In addition, six fruits would be set aside as gifts for the Dao companions of the six Jade Maiden Envoys. The Sect Master had hinted that disciples might first win a fruit through competition and then, if they found a compatible Dao companion, gain another.
It was clear that Mu Wuxin intended to use the gathering to establish marriage alliances with other sects. Yet the urgency of the arrangement suggested there might be more to the matter.
The Ruyi Envoys held status comparable to core disciples of great sects. They were all beautiful and powerful. Becoming one of their Dao companions could strengthen ties between sects and might be attractive to many disciples who had yet to find someone they loved.
But Yu Nongqing had abruptly appeared at the birthday banquet and changed the proposal from six Jade Maiden Envoys to all twelve Ruyi Envoys, including the six Pure Maiden Envoys.
As everyone knew, the Jade Maiden Envoys devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the Dao, cultivating purity and self-reliance. They were more forceful than ordinary women, perhaps, but entirely suited to the immortal path and potentially excellent companions.
The Pure Maiden Envoys were a different matter.
Many of their techniques came from a cultivation method called the Heart Scripture of the Enchantress. A common branch was the Pure Maiden Mind-Bewitching Great Art, which specialized in captivating others and drawing on male yang to replenish female yin.
Although this counted as an orthodox cultivation method and was not as unrestrained as the arts practiced by evil demonic-path women, what disciple of an orthodox immortal sect would welcome a Dao companion who needed to gather energy from other men? Such practices were fundamental to those methods. Even marriage could not change that without destroying the foundation of their cultivation and forcing them to start over.
Thus, no matter how beautiful the Pure Maiden Envoys were, ordinary disciples dared not become entangled with them.
Including both factions in the marriage arrangements left many disciples in a difficult position.
They had come on their masters’ orders to consider alliances through the Jade Maiden Envoys. Now that the Pure Maiden Envoys had been added without explanation, who knew what hidden motives lay behind it? Naturally they hesitated.
Most importantly, there was another issue.
Yu Nongqing led the Pure Maidens, while Mu Wuxin led the Jade Maidens and governed the entire estate.
The two had exchanged several remarks charged with hidden meaning at the banquet, revealing the struggle beneath the surface. Yu Nongqing’s sudden announcement clearly had not been discussed with Mu Wuxin beforehand and was probably intended to disrupt her plans.
Whatever had inspired Mu Wuxin to arrange marriages, Yu Nongqing was plainly trying to oppose her. Mu Wuxin might willingly offer six Posuo Fruits as dowries for the Jade Maiden Envoys, but would she willingly offer six more for the Pure Maiden Envoys?
There were only thirty-six Posuo Fruits in total. Eighteen were used to form ties of goodwill with outstanding guests, and six were reserved for maneuvering among sect powers. That left just twelve.
If all twelve Ruyi Envoys were to marry and each receive a Posuo Fruit, wouldn’t the estate be left with none at all?
The birthday banquet had passed amid Mu Wuxin and Yu Nongqing’s veiled verbal contest, leaving the many outstanding guests to ponder the implications and form plans of their own.
In the end, Mu Wuxin did not object. She accepted Yu Nongqing’s proposal and decreed that the marriage selection would take place at the Immortal Fruit Gathering ten days later.
During the intervening days, the estate would assign servants to look after its guests. Its female disciples were free to visit them, form friendships and discuss cultivation without unnecessary restrictions.
If any pair became mutually attached, the arrangement would not be limited to the twelve Ruyi Envoys. A man could propose to another female disciple, and the estate would permit the match.
Xu Ziqing was stunned when he heard all this.
W-wasn’t this simply a matchmaking gathering?