Love & Redemption
Chapter 68 - 25: The Bridal Gown Youth (Part 1)

Chapter 68: Chapter 25: The Bridal Gown Youth (Part 1)

The third watch. Today’s third watch.

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The two returned to the side hall lightly, where the tea on the table had just been changed. Linglong and the others were growing impatient. Seeing them enter, they immediately crowded around and asked, "How did it go? Did you find out anything?"

Yu Sifeng gestured with his hand for them to speak softly, and then ventured inside before laughing, "This is an incredible affair. It turns out that the immortal is more formidable than a man, as she marries four husbands every year!"

He relayed what he had overheard in the main hall. Linglong listened with astonishment, exclaiming repeatedly, "Is there really such a thing! So the immortal truly is a demon?"

Xuanji said, "Speaking of which, this morning in that temple when the immortal arrived, I think I smelled demon energy."

Zhong Minyan frowned, "Demon energy can be smelled? Then tell me, what exactly does it smell like?" He had never known that demon energy could be detected by smell.

Xuanji paused, "Well, the smell..." She couldn’t describe it, but one should know it upon smelling it, right?

"Have you never smelled demon energy before?"

Zhong Minyan laughed loudly, "I have not, nor do I believe anyone can." He flicked Xuanji’s forehead gently and chuckled, "You always have such strange stories. What an odd child you are."

Xuanji, touching her forehead, was utterly confused.

Yu Sifeng spoke softly, "Demon energy indeed can be detected as you deepen your cultivation. Let’s not dwell on whether the immortal is a demon, even if she’s a real immortal, we shouldn’t let this matter slide so easily."

Zhong Minyan nodded, "Cultivators should slay demons and eradicate evil, to rid the people of harm!"

As he and Yu Sifeng smiled at each other, they recalled the pearl incident from four years ago and that joyful exclamation: We are heroes!

Yes, they were heroes, and now, they must continue being heroes.

Having resolved to help the people of Zhongli City, the five of them gathered to strategize a foolproof plan to remain unnoticed by the immortal.

As they were discussing, a commotion suddenly came from the corridor outside. Everyone hurriedly sat back in their places, leisurely sipping tea, but the next moment, the door was flung open and a group of people tumbled in, collapsing to the ground while kowtowing and crying out, "We beg you, heroes, save us! Save us!"

The five, being young and having never faced such a scene, quickly tried to help the people up in a fluster. Ruo Yu smiled and said, "No need for that, please just tell us your trouble. We will do our best."

The leading Mr. Fang, choking up, recounted the matters concerning the immortal once more, before bowing deeply again, pleading, "The immortal truly possesses great powers, we commoners dare not contend with her, we only ask you heroes to show mercy, and save my son!"

Yu Sifeng stepped forward to gently lift him up, saying, "Please stand, uncle. Rest assured, we will thoroughly investigate and ensure peace returns to Zhongli City!"

Having said this, he approached the four young men, looked them over from left to right and up to down, then suddenly thrust the trembling Fang Yizhen forward and turned to ask Zhong Minyan, "Do I resemble him in build?"

Zhong Minyan, already knowing his intent, walked over with Ruo Yu, smiling as they each pulled one of them close and asked, "Do we resemble them in build?"

The rest of the people, not understanding, looked on blankly. Linglong clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Gosh, really! The immortal is coming to fetch people tomorrow night, let her come for us instead! Hide your sons well, do not let her see them!"

Only then did everyone understand and they were immensely grateful—some knocked their heads on the floor, others cried, and some were incoherent, creating a chaotic uproar in the hall.

Yu Sifeng and his friends finally managed to calm the emotional elders. Mr. Fang naturally insisted on being hospitable, repeatedly instructing his servants to prepare a banquet and clean the best guest rooms, even offering to vacate his own main room for them.

Only Old Master Zhuang remained in tears, as among their five members, only three were males, leaving Zhuang Jing with no one to replace him. Seeing his family’s pitiful tears, Linglong boldly volunteered, patting her chest and saying, "I’ll stand in for him! Don’t let my appearance fool you, I am quite capable!"

Ruo Yu shook his head, "No, Linglong’s facial features might not pass for a male’s, and besides, you’re too lively..."

Linglong stomped her foot indignantly, "What do you mean ’not pass’! Where am I too lively!"

"Everywhere..." Yu Sifeng muttered softly, under his breath. Four years had passed, and this female demon was still the same, explosive as firecrackers, erupting at the slightest spark.

"What did you say!" Indeed, Linglong glared at him, while Yu Sifeng continued to play deaf and dumb, remaining silent.

"I think Xuanji would be more suitable." Ruo Yu pushed the long-faced Zhuang Jing towards Xuanji, comparing them, "Though there’s a difference in build, padding the shoes and in the dense night, it shouldn’t be noticeable."

Xuanji, happy to have been out of the fray, quickly shook her hands, "I... I don’t want to! Let Linglong do it, she likes this stuff..."

Ruo Yu earnestly said, "This is about performing righteous deeds, Xuanji. Are you really going to refuse?"

Such a huge responsibility they were trying to put on her... Xuanji grimaced, feeling as if refusing would indeed make her unrighteous.

"Let’s settle it then! Xuanji, you’ll impersonate Zhuang Jing, and Linglong, you’ll cover from behind. Remember to sneak up the mountain quietly. Be careful not to alert the immortal prematurely, since we’ll be on her turf and need to be cautious."

Zhong Minyan casually waved his hand, setting the plan. Xuanji moved her lips to protest but in the end, did not. She silently accepted the proposal.

Now, both the hosts and the guests were truly happy. The banquet went on until the moon was high in the sky, so much so that even Xuanji got tipsy. Holding her burning face, she stumbled into the courtyard to gaze at the moon, dazed and confused.

Last night was a new moon, a curved sliver hanging on the horizon — it resembled a pancake that someone had bitten a large chunk out of. Xuanji thought to herself quietly, her body leaning sideways without caring about the cold ground, resting on the corridor railing, feeling drowsy.

Suddenly, she heard someone speaking softly ahead, seemingly Linglong’s voice, who was laughing, sweet and mellow.

"... Annoying... I don’t feel like bothering with you!"

Xuanji opened her eyes and saw two figures moving in front of the corridor, in such flowery moonlight, it was naturally picturesque and fragrant. She felt it improper to stay any longer, just as she was about to get up and leave, she saw Linglong stand up, stretching lazily, and said, "I’m really sleepy now, you should sleep early too. There’s still things to do tomorrow."

After that, she went back to her room. Xuanji saw Zhong Minyan left alone in the courtyard, feeling even more it was improper to stay longer, she quickly and quietly got up and started to walk back. But just after she took the first step, she heard Zhong Minyan say, "Hey, is that Xuanji?"

She stiffened for a moment, then obediently turned around, calling out, "Sixth Brother." She walked over slowly and saw Zhong Minyan lying on the ground, looking up at the sky, hands behind his head, probably had drunk a bit too much, his eyes were sharper than usual, like cold lightning.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked, confident she hadn’t made a sound just now.

Zhong Minyan smiled slightly, "You always carry an orchid scent sachet with you, that fragrance is recognizable as yours immediately."

Is that so? She sniffed the sachet under her nose, but couldn’t smell anything special.

He probably felt his last remark was too intimate, coughed lightly, and then said earnestly, "Why aren’t you asleep at this late hour? Don’t you usually go to bed early?"

Xuanji replied "Oh," scratching her head, "I drank too much, wanted some fresh air."

Zhong Minyan said nothing, and Xuanji didn’t know what else to say, so the two, one lying and one standing, stayed silent for quite a while, until Xuanji couldn’t hold back and said, "I should go to sleep."

"Hey, wait a moment..." Zhong Minyan suddenly called her.

Xuanji turned and his face was a bit blurry in the night, but his eyes were brightly visible, looking somehow startling.

"You... that..." Zhong Minyan thought for a while before finding his topic, "Tomorrow night we are going to Gao Mountain, just follow behind us, don’t wander off or make noise, understand?"

Xuanji obediently nodded her head.

"If you encounter any danger, you must call us, got it?"

Nodded again.

"If I tell you to run, you run first, if I tell you to hide, you hide, don’t act brave, understand?"

Still nodding.

Zhong Minyan suddenly turned his head and glared at her, "You keep nodding, but you actually haven’t listened at all, have you?"

"No," she said blandly, "I’m listening."

Zhong Minyan stared at her for a long time, then suddenly smiled softly, spread his arms out in a sprawling ’X’, and said lightly, "You, ah, you... How can there be someone like you in this world?"

He shook his head, both laughing and sighing.

Xuanji, stunned, suddenly said softly, "Do you dislike me?"

"No, not dislike." He shook his head, squinting as if in deep thought, and after a while, he said softly, "I don’t dislike you, I just don’t know how to get along with someone like you. Who said... I dislike you?"

Xuanji was silent, and after a while, turned around to leave, softly saying, "I’m sleepy, going to sleep. Sixth Brother, you should sleep early too."

He had probably drunk too much, as he spoke so much with her tonight. On reflection, ever since they were young, they hardly ever had a good chat, their conversations always running dry after a few words, either he got angry or she got depressed.

"Chu Xuanji." He called again, his words slurred, "Your secret... don’t worry, I... no one knows about it... you, what exactly are you..."

"What?" Xuanji was curious, but when she turned around, he had fallen asleep.

Indeed, he had drunk too much. Xuanji helplessly dragged Ruo Yu and the others, sent him back to his room, and then went to rest in her own room.

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Book number 1010209

Author: Ru Yanmihua

Description: The prankster king Cupid down on his luck working at a matrimonial agency, watch how the dragon of mistaken love navigates his matchmaking career... (Completely seize all tickets for robbery!)

Basically, everyone should be clear about Mihua’s books, "When Beauty Turns Ugly" is quite famous, this is her new work, quality assured.

Hope everyone enjoys reading at the women’s channel. ^_^ (To be continued, for further information, please log in to www.qidian.com, more Chapters available, support the author, support genuine reading!)