Wedding Gift

The outdoor stove was stuffed full of firewood, flames roaring within. In the great iron pot atop it, the water boiled and churned.

Big White Goose lay beneath the stove, its feet tied together as it struggled and honked.

Liu Xiaolou gripped Big White Goose's neck with his left hand and held a kitchen knife in his right, muttering an explanation. "Big White, you cannot blame this daoist today. If there is a next life, be reborn into my family again. I'll raise you."

He had finally managed to get hold of a spirit stone, only for this beast to snatch and eat it. When the master's wrath erupted, blood had to flow three feet!

Just as the knife was about to come down, tears began to patter from Big White Goose's eyes as it gazed at Liu Xiaolou with deep feeling.

That look melted away the resolve Liu Xiaolou had only just hardened in his heart. He held the knife over the goose's neck for a long while, yet could not bring it down no matter what.

Big White Goose's tears continued to roll down. At last, Liu Xiaolou slumped to the ground, and the kitchen knife gleaming with cold light fell from his hand with a clang.

"Big White, do you know how much trouble this daoist took on for that spirit stone...?"

"This Daoist has not had a scrap of spiritual power coming in for three months now. Even Dongyang Sect won't take me..."

"A spirit stone? It's not like you haven't eaten them before. What use did it do you? Not a damn bit..."

"Besides, it wasn't for me to use. It was a wedding gift for Brother Wei! A wedding gift, understand? I couldn't even bear to eat it..."

"Who knows where the old man hatched you from. You can do nothing, and you cannot become a spirit fowl either. After all these years, you are still like a fat pig..."

"All you can do is steal..."

After grumbling for a while, he ultimately untied the rope around Big White Goose and let it flap its wings as it fled.

"Get lost! Don't come back! The sight of you makes me mad!" Liu Xiaolou shouted after the beast.

Big White Goose glanced back, then fled even farther, darting into the Bamboo Forest in the blink of an eye.

The sun stood directly overhead. Fine beads of sweat covered Liu Xiaolou's forehead, while waves of cicada song rose from the Bamboo Forest, making him drowsy. He steadied his emotions and forced himself to perk up, then went into the grove and cut off a bamboo shoot. After peeling away its sheath, he tossed it straight into the boiling iron pot.

The spirit stone had already been stolen and eaten. There was no use dwelling on it; life still had to go on. His cultivation was low, merely Qi Refining second layer. He dared not dream of such profound methods as Bigu. Filling his belly came first.

As the tender bamboo shoot bubbled away in the water, Big White Goose suddenly darted back out of the woods with a fat fish over a foot long in its beak. Flapping its wings, it leaped onto the stove and tossed the fish into the boiling water. The fat fish thrashed up several splashes in the pot before resigning itself and ceasing its struggle. Big White Goose jumped down from the stove in satisfaction and honked twice at Liu Xiaolou, seeking credit.

Liu Xiaolou kicked at it irritably. "You think one fish can make up for my spirit stone? Why don't you just die?"

Big White Goose flapped its wings and hopped aside before charging back into the Bamboo Forest and vanishing once more.

There was one wonderful thing about raising this beast: it often brought home mountain delicacies such as fish, shrimp, rabbits, and rats, saving him the trouble of hunting and ensuring he did not go hungry.

One pot of bamboo shoot fish soup filled Liu Xiaolou's stomach. He entered the house, shifted the bed boards aside, brushed away the dirt, and revealed the wooden box buried beneath.

When he opened the box, there was an old ginseng root inside. This was no ordinary mountain ginseng, but spirit ginseng passed down by the departed old man. It was three hundred years old. Even if it was not used in alchemy, eating it raw could greatly increase one's true essence. It was worth at least three spirit stones!

Today was the dual cultivation ceremony of Wei Hongqing, his sworn brother. The planned wedding gift had been one spirit stone, but Shopkeeper Su had suddenly come calling. In a moment of carelessness, Liu Xiaolou had failed to keep watch, and Big White Goose had swallowed it the instant he turned away. Who could he reason with over that? The Three Xuan Sect the old man had left behind was clean as a whistle. If he wanted to bring a gift, this last remaining spirit ginseng root was his only option.

After all, this was the sworn brother who had looked after him in so many ways. How could he arrive empty-handed on his brother's wedding day?

Liu Xiaolou was exceedingly reluctant. He held the spirit ginseng and sighed repeatedly, feeling that even holding it for one moment longer would be worthwhile. He dragged things out until dusk neared and the time for the promised wedding feast arrived. Unable to delay any longer, he finally tied a red ribbon around the spirit ginseng to add a touch of festivity, then carried it down the mountain.

Wei Hongqing cultivated at Ghost Dream Cliff, less than half an hour's mountain journey from Qianzhu Ridge. When Liu Xiaolou arrived, the sun was sinking in the west, so he hastened up the cliff. He had arrived late for his good brother's dual cultivation ceremony, and he could not help feeling deeply guilty.

There was a stone cave atop the cliff, Wei Hongqing's abode. The cultivation abodes of Wulong Mountain rogue cultivators had always been simple—either thatched cottages or stone caves. Inside, there were only crude furnishings and nothing valuable. There was no other reason: when the Renowned Great Sects came to purge them, it made fleeing easier.

Of course, today was special. Wei Hongqing had still decorated Ghost Dream Cliff somewhat. Bright red silk ribbons and lanterns covered the mountain wall before the cave, while three tables laden with food and wine stood outside. Wei Hongqing did not have many close rogue cultivator friends. Liu Xiaolou had heard that only six people had been invited in total. Adding the elders, relatives, and friends from his dual cultivation partner's side, there were only twelve seats.

He was the first to arrive.

Wei Hongqing was drinking alone at the main table.

Liu Xiaolou walked over with a smile and sat beside him. Wei Hongqing casually poured him a cup, which he raised and drank. Then Liu Xiaolou took out the spirit ginseng, placed it on the table, and pushed it over with an expression of heartache.

"This is spirit ginseng my teacher gathered from Shouyang Mountain, three hundred years old. Since you are entering dual cultivation today, consider it a small token of my feelings. Do not refuse it."

Wei Hongqing did not refuse. He took it and examined it before his eyes for a moment, then bit into it.

"Not—" Caught off guard, Liu Xiaolou wanted to stop him, but then realized he had already given the spirit ginseng away as a wedding gift. He could only endure the pain in his heart and say, "That is not how you eat it... Wouldn't it be better steeped in wine? What a waste... Besides, Sister-in-law has not arrived yet. What does it mean for you to eat it? She has not even seen this ginseng yet! Hey, stop eating..."

After only a few bites, Wei Hongqing's face had already turned a deep red. He was at Qi Refining Level 5, and although he could withstand spiritual power several times better than Liu Xiaolou, eating nearly half a spirit ginseng root in one go still left him choking on its abundant true essence.

After he had recovered somewhat, Liu Xiaolou looked painfully at the remaining half of the spirit ginseng and said, "Don't eat any more. Leave it for Sister-in-law as proof, or she'll think your younger brother came here to freeload..." He looked at the empty cave abode and the vacant dining tables, then asked, "When will the wedding party arrive? And Chieftain Zuo and the others? Why are they not here yet?"

But Wei Hongqing's eyes had reddened. He merely stared blankly at Liu Xiaolou without speaking.

"What is it, Brother Wei? This is... Speak... say something!"

"Ling'er is not marrying me..."

"What?"

"Big Brother was rejected by the Xia Family..."

Liu Xiaolou froze, then exploded. "Why? I'll go find them!"

Wei Hongqing said sorrowfully, "She married into Zhanglong Sect, becoming the concubine of Zang Qianli, an inner sect disciple of Zhanglong Sect..."

Liu Xiaolou, who had just flared up, instantly fell silent.

What happened to love between a devoted man and woman?

Zhanglong Sect was a Renowned Great Sect of western Hunan, occupying the blessed land of Zhanglong Mountain. Since Zang Qianli was an inner sect disciple of Zhanglong Sect, his future was boundless. Even as a concubine, Ling'er would be far better off than following Wei Hongqing as a rogue cultivator in Wulong Mountain. No wonder the Xia Family had changed the marriage arrangement.

Liu Xiaolou could only console him. "Brother Wei has suffered such great humiliation. We brothers will surely share one heart against the enemy. This year, I will make an agreement with our fellow cultivators in the mountains: when autumn harvest comes, we will never again go work for their family."

Wei Hongqing patted his hand in thanks.

Liu Xiaolou asked again, "Where are Chieftain Zuo and the others? They are not coming to attend... the feast?"

Wei Hongqing gave a bitter smile. "Without a wedding ceremony, where is there a wedding feast? Without a wedding feast, what would they come for?"

Not knowing how to console him, Liu Xiaolou could only drink himself into gloom alongside Wei Hongqing.

As the saying went, wine did not intoxicate people; people intoxicated themselves. After drinking for a long while, Liu Xiaolou was fine, but Wei Hongqing had already collapsed drunk. Before passing out, he finally burst into tears. "Xiaolou, go back. Do not worry about Big Brother. Let Big Brother be alone for a while..."