“Madame, both the Princess and the Prince’s birth dates are… extremely odd. They’re not fated to wed at this moment. It’s not advisable for them to marry.” The fortune-teller looked at their birth dates from the left and from the right. Of course, he could recognize Hua Qiyue and Yun Shimo. He was there in person on the day when these two renowned personages returned to the capital.
Madame Yun frowned. “Master, what do you mean? Are you saying they aren’t fated to be together?”
“Although I have practiced fortune-telling for a long time, I can’t foresee their future. I can only predict what will happen in the next year… They won’t be able to marry in these 12 months.”
The master glanced at Madame Yun’s grim face and explained carefully. “Madame, I am telling the whole truth. In the last 20 years, I have only told the fortunes of one couple each year. And all my predictions for these 20 couples have come true. I hope that Madame will be mentally prepared. And the Princess and the Prince should be mentally prepared too.”
Madame Yun stood up. She was furious. In the depths of her heart, she did not believe in such fortune-telling. But this master was introduced to her by Old Madame Hua. She could not lose her temper at him.
“Even so, if we insist on choosing a date to marry them?”
Madame Yun would not quite accept this.
The master stared at Madame Yun’s unreconciled eyes and wore a slight smile. “If Madame insists on getting them married, let’s make it… the 16th two months later. They will be mentally prepared after these two months. If they consummate their marriage on the night of the 16th, things won’t develop so badly.”
Since the fortune-teller said so, Madame Yun selected the 16th of the 10th month.
After she returned from the fortune-teller, Yun Shimo immediately went up to his mother the moment she entered the mansion. They walked to the hall together.
Madame Yun’s countenance was not looking too happy.
“Mother, when’s the auspicious day?” Yun Shimo poured Madame Yun a cup of tea and asked in a low voice.
Yun Xuan also emerged from his room. He was quite bewildered by his wife’s grim face. After all, the Yun Family would no longer encounter any trouble. Their son had slain Xuanyuan Wutian and this meant no future foes for them.
But Madame Yun’s expression…
“The master said that… for the next 12 months, you two could not get married… But I still made him give us a date, the 16th of the 10th month.”
Madame Yun lightly sipped a mouthful of tea and continued quietly, “Fortune-tellers may foretell the future accurately, but they can also fail in their predictions. We don’t need to get too worked up.”
Yun Shimo heard her. His face betrayed no emotions. He still continued to smile. “Mother’s right. Why should we get upset over such a trivial matter?”
Although Madame Yun was consoling Yun Shimo just now, she now started to shake her head worriedly. “But according to Old Madame Hua… this master is the most accurate fortune-teller she knows. He is extremely accurate in everything he predicts.”
“My lady, you can’t believe him. How accurate can these bogus fortune-tellers be? Forget this matter. Let’s go ahead with the wedding!” Yun Xuan naturally did not believe in this either, laughing heartily.
“In the future, you must give our family a cheerful grandson like Tianci!”
Yun Xuan’s words made Madame Yun’s eyes brighten. The moment she heard this, she forgot all her former worries.
“Yes, yes! Shimo, you must make Qiyue take good tonics. Mother’s afraid that she might have overexerted herself in those battles. It might affect your children!”
Madame Yun smiled merrily. Yun Shimo nodded and agreed.
————————
The Yun Family had prepared the bride price and everything else. Even the Betrothal and Gift Letters were ready. They sent them over on the 16th of the eighth month.
The bride price of the Yun Family was extremely rich. It included 108 strings of pearls, 100,000 taels of gold, 150,000 taels of refined silver, 200 bolts of premium silk and several hundred pieces of women’s jewelry. They were all magnificent, making the entire capital gasp in wonder.
Hua Qiyue was not too concerned over these. She did not care how many items they gave her, only that more gifts would mean more prestige for the Hua Family.
That night.
Hua Qiyue once again brought high-quality food and wine into the green jade gourd. Tianci was used to it. The moment they entered, he sprinted about madly with the Man-Hunting Insect and the Asura Chicken in this perfect little world, giggling happily.
Tianpi just sat there. Hua Qiyue could sense the aura from his body getting even more aggressive.
When he saw Hua Qiyue bring in his wine and food, Tianpi was not as delighted as he was before. He merely glanced at the spread on the table quietly. “You’re getting married soon?”
“Yes.”
Hua Qiyue nodded lightly. She thought to herself that Tianpi could overhear all her conversations. After she and Yun Shimo got married, while they were consummating their marriage, wouldn’t it mean…
A tinge of displeasure surfaced on Tianpi’s diabolically handsome face. “Qiyue, he’s not the right man for you.”
Hua Qiyue started. Why wasn’t he suitable for her? They had been together for so many years. They had gone through numerous ordeals. She recalled her former marriage with Zhou Zhicheng.
At that time, she was completely dedicated to Zhou Zhicheng, sacrificing everything for him. She never thought about whether they were suited to each other or not.
Although he continued to take more concubines and flirt with other women, she pretended not to see.
Despite the fact Zhou Zhicheng did not touch her again after their wedding, she still found it quite normal.
She must have been an idiot then. Now, everything was going along smoothly between her and Yun Shimo. So why weren’t they suited for each other?
Yun Shimo was not like Zhou Zhicheng, embracing women on his left and his right. The latter was also lazy, greedy, and completely talentless.
Although Yun Shimo was not the most outstanding man in the Tianyuan Continent, he had no more rivals. After all, neither the Bai Family nor the Xuan Family would covet the Purple Primordial Chaos Bead.
“Master, we plan to get married on the 16th of the 10th month. I don’t know whether he’s the right one for me. I have gone through a marriage with that cad Zhou Zhicheng. Compared to that scoundrel, Yun Shimo is so much better.”
Hua Qiyue thought for a while and declared solemnly.
Tianpi stared at Hua Qiyue. He wanted to speak but stopped himself.
“Anyway, I just feel that the two of you aren’t suited to each other. I don’t know much about your past, but once I regain my prowess, I will probe through that man,” Tianpi paused for a while and then said quietly.
Hua Qiyue’s fingers started to tremble. “You mean… that man of my wedding night? Yun Zhaochuan?”
“Yes, although that man was called Yun Zhaochuan, I suppose he will be hard to track down in this world?” Tianpi gave a cold snort. He picked up the wine flagon and poured wine copiously down his throat.
“True indeed. I can’t locate the man,” Hua Qiyue said softly. Her emotions wavered somewhat.
Tianpi said no more. He was only quietly drinking wine and eating meat. Tianci and the Man-Hunting Insect were pursuing butterflies nearby. The boy’s laughter resounded distinctly in the air.
“Qiyue, so you don’t believe in what I say. Actually…. although vague, all my hunches have turned out to be correct. If you don’t believe me, just wait. They will be proven in the future.”
Hua Qiyue stopped for a moment and started to feel quite depressed.
Yun Shimo had told her that the fortune-teller predicted that they could not get married this year. But Hua Qiyue’s consciousness had already marked Yun Shimo out as her future husband. That would not change.
Unless there were some special circumstances, like the Purple Primordial Chaos Bead… if some expert Qi Artists tried to seize Tianci’s bead surreptitiously, some accident might occur.
“Let’s wait then. I’ll deal with all changing circumstances by remaining the same,” Hua Qiyue remarked quietly. She poured herself a cup of wine, intending to have a good drink with Tianpi.
“I didn’t expect time to have passed so quickly. In the twinkling of an eye, three years have passed.” Tianpi smiled lightly, looking tipsy in his eyes.
Hua Qiyue was also overwhelmed with emotions. She used to have nothing and was covered all over with wounds. Now, everything was working out perfectly. She really felt herself in a dream.
At this moment in the world, there was still a bright moon shining amidst the clear breeze.
——————————
At midnight, Tianci was in his dreams when he suddenly heard knocks at the window.
He was now at the first level of Holy God. His instinct was more acute than most people’s.
Someone was outside the window.
And that person was deliberately trying to conceal his aura. Tianci had to sit up and push open the window.
Under the pure and chaste moonlight stood a man, smiling faintly. He was dressed in a blue robe.
“Brother Xuanji…”
“Hush! Don’t speak!” the man hurriedly whispered. Tianci blinked. He really had not expected to see Xuanji again.
Everyone thought that Xuanji would not survive. But given the Xuan Family’s abilities, it would be a blessing if he did.
Tianci felt a wave of joy. If Mom knew that Brother Xuanji was still alive, she would surely be overjoyed.
“I’ll go and call Mom…”
“Don’t bother. I’m taking you to a place. That place will be a gift to you all.” Xuanji smiled, his smile easy and quiet yet full of tenderness.
Tianci curiously climbed out of the window. Xuanji lifted him up in an embrace, and they swiftly departed from Hua’s Mansion.
Although Xuanji’s Qi Art was not as powerful as Yun Shimo’s, it was superior to Hua Qiyue’s. So the restrictions set up by Hua Qiyue could not stop him. Furthermore, there were two old men at the Great Completeness of Great Deity helping him.
Xuanji took Tianci to 250 kilometers away from the capital. They arrived before a mountain, the Solitary Blue Mountain.
This mountain was rumored to have been the source of a big clan. But it was only a legend. No one knew which clan it had once belonged to. Some said it was the Murong Family, others the Bai Family or the Xuan Family.
The place was abandoned 300 years ago. It was now a ruin.
Xuanji ran swiftly to the entrance of a cave with Tianci in his arms. The two behind him lit up their path with a luminous gem.
After they entered the cave, Xuanji slapped the back of a derelict human statue and a door by the side suddenly swung open. Dim light emanated from inside the door.
“Brother Xuanji, are there fun things inside?” Tianci asked naively. Xuanji smiled faintly and nodded. “Yes. I’ve promised that I’d take you out to play. I’m fulfilling that promise now. Let’s go in and take a look.”
Saying this, he entered the cave with Tianci.
As they descended the jade staircase, they found a big cavern inside which acted as a big hall. Luminous gems studded its four walls, illuminating the hall.
Several precious jade statues were standing in different parts of the hall, all shining with a faint light.
There were sparkling beads everywhere. Tianci saw them and was delighted. Whooping with joy, he raced over and embraced the beads.
Xuanji kept shaking his head. Tianci was not vigilant at all. What if Xuanji was tricking him for the Purple Primordial Chaos Bead?
