Xu Ziqing’s pupils contracted.
His senior brother… was going to get married?
The news struck him like a thunderbolt. He was so shocked that his mind went blank.
Before meeting him, Yun Lie had neither been engaged nor formed a romantic attachment. Since then, they had spent nearly all their time together, and Xu Ziqing had never seen him show anyone else particular closeness. Who in the world did his senior brother intend to marry?
Xu Ziqing’s thoughts rang wildly. A storm rose in his heart, and for a moment he could not tell what he felt.
Shock, panic, the faint stirring of an impossible suspicion, disbelief, bitterness, sweetness: all surged together.
His state of mind was in turmoil beyond description.
The elder was equally astonished, but his business experience allowed him to turn surprise into congratulations at once. “Perfected One, you’ll be holding a Dao-companion oath ceremony? Congratulations! May I ask who your dual-cultivation companion will be…?”
He stopped speaking as Yun Lie glanced toward the young man in green. The elder understood instantly.
Laughing, he said, “Your companion came here with you, and I still had to ask! How foolish of me.” With considerable tact, he continued, “This must be your direct junior brother, young fellow Daoist Xu Ziqing?”
Xu Ziqing had not recovered from his shock. He managed an instinctive smile. “That’s right. Greetings, fellow Daoist.”
The old man noticed that something about him seemed strange, but chose not to inquire. “Since you two have placed your trust in me, I’ll personally help you obtain what you need. Perfected Slaughter Sword and I have dealt with each other for many years. I certainly won’t let either of you suffer a loss.”
Yun Lie nodded. “Much obliged.”
The old man laughed and activated the formation.
Another black opening appeared in the secret room. They stepped through it and entered an entirely different place.
Before them stretched an orchard.
The path to immortality was long and filled with countless difficulties, dangers, betrayals, and schemes. It was often lonely, for truly trusting another person was hard. Yet no one could accomplish everything alone. Sects bound people through duties and mutual interests, and immortal cultivators were not free of the seven emotions. Affection, too, could give someone a lasting companion.
For those reasons, many cultivators became dual-cultivation Dao companions.
But these partnerships fell into two broad categories.
In the first were those who pledged themselves to one another in life and death. They opened their hearts completely, trusted each other without reservation, and walked the immortal path together. Should one die, the other might suffer a devastating blow. Some even developed heart demons, withdrew in despair, or could not advance again until their partner’s death had been avenged.
Such companions were bound by genuine feeling. They were no longer alone, and their hearts often worked as one, giving them exceptional coordination in battle. But the emotional risk was immense.
The second category comprised partnerships forged for reasons such as sect alliances, shared benefits, or compatible spiritual roots and constitutions.
Two sects might arrange a marriage, or two cultivators might be particularly suited to cultivating together. The union was not necessarily founded upon affection.
Such companions rarely revealed themselves fully to one another. They were primarily partners in cultivation. They might trust each other to a degree, and the oath would prevent betrayal, but their affection lacked the intensity of the first kind, and their coordination was usually poorer. If one died, the other might simply seek a new partner without developing any heart demon.
Practical cultivation partnerships were easy to arrange; sincere love was not. Those in the second category often maintained numerous concubines or other attachments, while those in the first might remain devoted to a single companion all their lives. Across the countless great and small worlds, the second sort was far more common.
The reasons for a union also affected the scale of its oath ceremony.
For example, the fruits offered to guests at the banquet were divided into three grades. A first-grade ceremony required eighty-one varieties, a second-grade ceremony forty-nine, and a third-grade ceremony thirty-six. The more precious the fruits, the more sincere the couple’s pledge was considered.
That was why, on hearing Yun Lie intended to marry, the elder had taken them straight to this orchard.
“There are 232 first-grade spiritual fruit trees here, 3,480 second-grade, 8,000 third-grade, and tens of thousands that aren’t ranked,” he explained. “Everything in this orchard is available for your selection.”
He handed them two jade slips containing detailed information about each tree’s variety, attributes, and price.
Yun Lie took both and placed one in Xu Ziqing’s hand.
The elder gave them a knowing smile. “I’ll leave you two to make your choices. When you’re done, release a strand of true essence and I’ll return.”
With that, he departed.
Xu Ziqing stood holding the jade slip, still dazed. Only after he absentmindedly sent his spiritual sense inside and saw the densely listed fruit varieties did he begin to recover.
He curled his fingers and asked haltingly, “Senior Brother, what exactly is this…?”
Although Yun Lie had noticed his strange expression, he answered matter-of-factly. “We’ll need spiritual fruits to entertain the guests at our ceremony. Since you and I are marrying, each of us should select forty trees. Choose whichever you prefer, eight from each of the five elements. The final tree should possess both Metal and Wood attributes. Tell me if you find a suitable one.”
Xu Ziqing understood every word separately. Together, they made no sense.
His senior brother did not even know how he felt. Why had he suddenly decided they were getting married?
Remembering the intimacy they had shared in the demonic land, his fingertips trembled. He grew even more anxious.
“Y-you and I… are getting married?” he asked.
He would have been overjoyed to marry Yun Lie. But what did Yun Lie himself feel?
Given his senior brother’s personality, Xu Ziqing should perhaps have expected some response to their earlier intimacy. Yun Lie would not simply pretend it had never happened. But if marriage were merely a matter of accepting responsibility, Xu Ziqing could not help feeling disappointed. If marriage alone were what he wanted, he would not have spent so many years suppressing his feelings. He had waited because his affection was sincere, and because he wanted Yun Lie to feel the same.
He fell silent.
Xu Ziqing sighed inwardly with a bitter smile.
He was still too full of impossible wishes.
Yun Lie knew Xu Ziqing well enough to see his reluctance at once.
He frowned slightly. “Before entering seclusion, I asked you to marry me, and you agreed. Why are you unwilling now?”
Xu Ziqing froze.
…Asked him to marry?
He had no idea when that happened.
Reading his confusion, Yun Lie said, “Before our seclusion.”
Xu Ziqing searched his memory and finally recalled eight words his senior brother had spoken: “When you form your Golden Core, we’ll hold a ceremony.” At the time, he had assumed Yun Lie meant the usual celebration for Golden Core formation, and had accepted gratefully. Could Yun Lie have meant their Dao-companion oath ceremony instead?
How could Xu Ziqing possibly have guessed that?
Seeing recognition dawn, Yun Lie added, “We share mutual affection. Naturally, we should pledge ourselves and marry.” After brief thought, he continued, “When I was under demonic influence, I behaved improperly toward you. If you still harbor resentment over that, I can wait a few more years until it fades before proposing again.”
Mutual affection? Improper behavior? Resentment? When had Xu Ziqing ever resented his senior brother?
His mind spun.
Everything Yun Lie said differed so much from what Xu Ziqing had believed. He had once been proud of understanding his senior brother’s thoughts, yet now he understood nothing at all.
Even Xu Ziqing, confused as he was, could tell that the two of them had somehow been speaking past one another.
He hurriedly gathered his thoughts. “Senior Brother, please wait. There are things I don’t understand. Could you explain them?”
“Ask,” Yun Lie replied.
“Do you remember everything that happened while you were under demonic influence?”
“I remember.”
“Then why didn’t you mention it afterward?”
Yun Lie looked at him. “Our feelings were already clear to each other. There was no need for more words.”
Xu Ziqing paused and breathed deeply. “Senior Brother, do you know… how I feel about you?”
Yun Lie nodded. “You allowed me to be intimate with you. Naturally, you have feelings for me.”
Xu Ziqing grew nervous but forced himself to ask, “Then your feelings toward me…”
Understanding, Yun Lie nodded again. “Naturally, I have feelings for you as well.”
Xu Ziqing stopped breathing for a moment.
After a long silence, he asked slowly, “Senior Brother, how do you know… that you love me?”
Yun Lie considered the question.
Xu Ziqing’s nerves stretched taut; his mind went blank.
Yun Lie did not hesitate for long. “Demonic thoughts arise from one’s obsessions. When those thoughts controlled me, everything I did came from the obsessions in my own heart. If I had no affection for you, I would never have behaved so intimately toward you. My mind was unclear while I was under demonic influence, and I acted too abruptly. For that, I wronged you.”
Xu Ziqing’s cheeks burned, but the great weight upon his heart finally lifted.
His senior brother was upright and never spoke falsely to him. If he said he had feelings for Xu Ziqing, those feelings must be real.
Xu Ziqing had imagined he might wait many more years before confessing his love. Now Yun Lie had taken the first step instead. How could he not rejoice?
A wish held close for so many years was finally within reach. Xu Ziqing smiled uncontrollably. “So Senior Brother and I truly love each other?”
Yun Lie’s expression softened at his happiness. “We do.”
Xu Ziqing smiled more broadly. “And your proposal still stands?”
Yun Lie nodded. “Of course.”
Warmth filled Xu Ziqing’s face. “Then I’ll choose the ceremony provisions with you, Senior Brother. Once I form my Golden Core, I’ll marry you.”
Even the aura around Yun Lie seemed gentler. “Very good.”
The two returned to studying their jade slips. They stood side by side without becoming overly intimate.
Their companionship was as harmonious as before, though something subtle had changed.
Xu Ziqing’s thoughts were finally clear.
Now he understood. Yun Lie’s outward manner after recovering had not meant that he wished to distance himself or erase what had happened. He treasured Xu Ziqing and would not behave as forwardly toward him as he had under demonic influence. In Yun Lie’s eyes, their earlier closeness had already confirmed their love. Recovery merely changed how he expressed it, not the affection itself. Xu Ziqing had misunderstood him.
Perhaps Yun Lie’s feelings did not blaze with visible passion, but the sincerity of his regard was beyond doubt.
All Xu Ziqing needed to do now was select the ceremonial provisions, cultivate diligently, and form his Golden Core. When that day arrived, his fate and Yun Lie’s would be bound together in an entirely new way.