The Ceremony Was Complete

The bright red lanterns, like flowers blooming all over the mountains, stretch to every corner of Chao Xian City.

Wedding banquets were being held everywhere, from teahouses and restaurants to open-air streets. After the wedding procession had completely left and the parade had ended, tables and chairs were set up on the empty avenues, and fine wines and delicacies were served.

On this day, regardless of age or gender, people can freely show their faces without regard for worldly etiquette, and participate in this once-in-a-lifetime grand event in the twilight, illuminated by red lanterns and various palace lanterns.

People were showered with red wedding cakes and candies, their faces beaming with joy. They were immersed in an atmosphere that resembled a grand festival, ignoring the troubles of the world and seemingly forgetting all the worries in their hearts.

The clinking of wine cups and the sounds of laughter seemed to blend into the deep night, as if sharing in the starlight and moonlight.

The shops along the street were filled with mahogany tables and chairs, and even business owners were attending wedding banquets together without missing a beat.

Even on a distant battlefield that should have been filled with blood and fire, fighting was forbidden the day before the wedding with the tacit consent of both countries, and now wedding candies provided by [Chao Xian] are being distributed everywhere.

Both the Liao and Great Song dynasties issued announcements to celebrate the immortals' wedding. Many people who did not receive a quota to come to the Chao Xian City still held grand wedding banquets in their own territories to pray for blessings.

Therefore, although this period clearly indicates a chaotic world, it appears peaceful and prosperous today.

All of this, for Su Qing'an, who could naturally empathize with the emotions of people in a certain range, was like one lamp after another being lit in his heart, stretching into a true sea of lights, as if trying to illuminate the cracks and abysses that had been shrouded in darkness, casting waves of warmth into them.

This seems to be the first time in my life that I have received such sincere and fervent blessings from so many strangers.

This emotional resonance is both unfamiliar and bewildering, as if countless familiar faces from the past are appearing beside you, speaking to you...

--Happy wedding, Su Qing'an.

The boy stood silently in place, his figure silhouetted against the wind, his crimson robes adorned with gold patterns fluttering like banners. He gazed at a child not far away, who held a windmill in one hand, led his mother by the other, and whose mouth was stuffed with wedding candy, his lips slightly upturned.

Even in this era where we are destined to be far away and difficult to meet, friends who once knew us seem to follow their heartfelt wishes, transcending the distance of time and space to whisper words of blessing in our ears.

Even though one deeply understands that this is merely an illusion created by the longing that falls from the mind and the encounter of one lamp after another, one can still feel joy and happiness for it.

Amidst the clamor of thousands celebrating and the entire city joining in the festivities, the girl's whisper, like a clear spring standing alone in the sea of people, gently trickled down beside my ear:

"I'm at the temple fair."

Upon hearing this, Su Qing'an subconsciously glanced at the shop signs beside him, but unlike the ancient towns he had visited before, they didn't have corresponding signs. Nevertheless, he still smiled and asked:

"Number 198?"

Today, Little Feather has been very sensible, pretending not to exist and only acting as a mouthpiece. After three months of adjustment, the Soul Link between her and Chi Yuan has reached a point where they can be renewed immediately. Perhaps in the next breath, they will return to the state they were in in the previous era.

At that moment, the red string on his wrist trembled, and another voice echoed in his ears:

"You can't find it without a license plate number?"

Su Qing'an found the words, which contained a hint of amusement yet seemed somewhat awkward, rather novel. Even though the other party deliberately used such a tone and manner, she still couldn't detect any arrogance. In the midst of these words, she could vaguely hear the delicate sound of someone biting through a thin, crisp candy coating.

Is this person eating candied hawthorns somewhere, at a time like this?

The boy suppressed his urge to ask questions, wanting only to snatch the candied hawthorn from her hand when she wasn't looking. He smiled and whispered in response:

"Then you stay where you are, I'll come find you."

"... OK."

At this very moment.

Far away at the entrance of an alley, in front of a gate, a young girl in a bright red wedding dress and a solemn phoenix coronet and embroidered robe sat on the blue stone steps, gazing at the night sky filled with what looked like an inverted Milky Way. Her actions were clearly unrestrained, yet she still exuded elegance and refinement under the influence of her temperament.

Her lips were slightly upturned, and her lip rouge was stained with a few translucent sugar crumbs. A string of candied hawthorns was still twirling and tilting slightly between her slender, green fingers.

This was a gift given to her by a little girl with pigtails who had been staring at her for a long time. Looking at the various kinds of candy she was holding in her arms, she was probably sent by an adult to hand out wedding candy. Her voice was sweet and childlike, and she was very cute.

It felt really strange to eat her own wedding candy directly, but on this special day, she didn't want to refuse the little girl's kindness. That's why she chose the candied hawthorn that least resembled wedding candy. Strangely, it corresponded to a scene at the temple fair, causing her to feel a mix of emotions after realizing what had happened.

In retrospect, that day was indeed the most delicate moment in the development of their relationship.

If it weren't for that phone call, they might have confirmed their relationship later.

As the immortal recited the man's words, he listened to the man's response. After the man replied with "Okay," he suddenly felt a little nervous for some reason, and his heart started pounding.

This strange feeling of wanting to see the other person but also not wanting to be seen seems to have been gone for a long time.

So, in order to dispel the growing tension in her chest, Fu Hua began to secretly try to communicate with her little darling, preparing to cheat in this way to prevent someone's mind from bypassing Udu-dust's perception and launching a sneak attack.

However, whether it was because her soul had not yet been established and the temporary passage built by Udu-dust was not perfect, or because a certain Little Feather was just pretending to be dead and in a self-defined state of sleeping, her approach ended in a major failure.

The girl suspected it was the former, and after pondering for a while, she tentatively asked:

"If you don't talk, I'll pluck your hair out when we get back."

No response.

She thought for a moment, then continued with even more vicious words:

"If you don't answer, from now on, Little White will eat your portion at dinner, and you'll do the dishes."

Still no response.

They probably genuinely didn't receive the message.

Otherwise, given Xiao Xi's silly personality, she would have already spoken up.

After much deliberation, Fu Hua decided not to stay where she was. She got up and walked out of the dimly lit area, heading towards a more lively and bustling place.

Find the other person before he finds you, so you can avoid being caught off guard and embarrassed.

As for agreeing to stay where I was as Su Qing'an said...

The bride today suppressed this subtle unease and thought...

Since he can't see it anyway, why should I be so obedient?

At this moment, on the other side of the alley.

Su Qing'an lowered his eyes, lifted his wide sleeve, and looked at the droopy red string on his wrist, speechless.

If the information about the Little Feather's ruffled feathers hadn't been intercepted beforehand using the Manas consciousness, it would have been exposed through cheating.

The young man gently stroked the red string on his wrist and whispered words of comfort:

"That was all just to trick you into talking. She wouldn't really do that to Xiao Xi, so don't worry."

Su Qing'an found it quite amusing to watch the person get up, and then rubbed the red rope that was spinning around like a small animal with her fingertips, saying:

"I'll avenge you."

Only then did Little Feather settle down and obediently act as the mascot.

In fact, compared to Chi Yuan's rare act of lying, her quiet departure was a more effective tactic.

As the groom today, Su Qing'an was clearly more concerned about his bride's attire and appearance.

The moment you find someone, you can clearly see the difference in their makeup and attire before and after you parted ways.

The immortal who had just descended the mountain was like a person from a Daoist temple, dressed in simple clothes, but now he is a complete opposite.

Her clothes were covered in a deep, intense red, yet it didn't look out of place at all. On the contrary, it made her lightly made-up face even more beautiful and charming. Her blue eyes were clear and bright, and as she stood up, they shone with a warm smile, so radiant that it seemed to express all the beauty in the world.

Perhaps because the bridal gown that dragged on the ground was not conducive to walking, the girl's steps toward the lights were light and slow. The sound of her red cloth shoes hitting the ground was like fine snow melting in his heart, making his mind sway and tremble.

At this moment, to avoid being seen by ordinary people, the immortal caused the illusion of Udu-dust to unfold quietly.

As the trailing edge of the flowing robe rippled like waves in the sunlight, crimson and translucent feathers fell in a flurry, making this view, unique to the two of them, exceptionally dreamlike.

Su Qing'an found it hard to understand the strange feeling in his chest. Similar to Rong Yue and Xiao Xuan's feelings, as the groom himself, he could feel the inexplicable feeling of being dragged down from the sacred to the mundane world.

The boy was like a devout believer, yet also like a blasphemer who dragged the gods into the mud of the world. He did not dislike the strange feeling in his chest; on the contrary, he could understand the real feeling of truly possessing the other by chewing on this emotion.

They like each other and support each other.

They are mutually bound together, bound by mutual contracts.

They resolutely put collars on each other, completely unconcerned that their supposedly refined and otherworldly aura would turn decadent and depraved.

If this is the necessary price of love, then let it be sweet.

Su Qing'an lightly flicked his sleeve, letting the unfinished candied hawthorn fall into his hand. Looking at the bride, who was momentarily stunned, he wiped the sugar coating from her lips with his fingertips, his smile gentle, his tone soft:

"Found you."

While Fu Hua was in a daze, she stared at the candied hawthorn in the man's hand, feeling a rare bit annoyed.

How come they were discovered before they even really started their escape?

And wasn't this act of breaking his promise witnessed by everyone?

This person must have done it on purpose.

The girl lowered her eyes subconsciously, but to hide her unusual expression, she looked back at him intently. She could clearly feel her heart pounding like a drum, and the sound of her blood flowing through her body was like a babbling brook, constantly telling her the joy and trembling she felt when she saw her beloved at this moment.

Therefore, in order to cover up the situation, one might develop emotions that one would not normally have, attempting to interfere with the judgment of this feeling, as a final fig leaf.

But the temperament she has developed over the years far outweighs these petty thoughts and awkwardness, allowing her to clearly see her inner thoughts and feelings, and to give herself the answers she needs.

She cared more about the ceremony and her wedding dress than she had originally expected, and she also liked Su Qing'an a little more than she thought.

That's why you feel nervous, flustered, and uneasy.

The Immortal Chi Yuan could calmly face life and death, but she could no longer calmly face this routine that occurred in the mortal world. She pursed her lips, but then she remembered the touch of the other person's fingertips. Her beautiful face flushed slightly, and the light coral pink was more tempting than the rouge that spread on her skin.

But as the groom took her hand, the dizzying feeling of being in an underwater whirlpool eased slightly.

She took a deep breath, blinked, and couldn't help but laugh, saying:

Where would you like to go first?

Su Qing'an did not answer immediately. Instead, he revived the [Stigmata], manipulated the Heaven and Earth Qi, and carried the two of them into the void, gradually walking towards the inverted Milky Way and the night.

The boy looked back at the dimly lit area and the endless expanse of red lanterns in the distance, then at the warmth emanating from her eyes as she looked up at him, and said with a smile:

I want to go to the highest point.

Fu Hua's wedding robes swayed in the wind behind her. She gazed at the light in the man's eyes, her eyes slightly upturned, her lips parted, and she softly replied:

"Good."

Su Qing'an and the immortal bathed together in the moonlight and starlight. They sat at the other end of the sea of clouds, overlooking the entire Chao Xian City. The light of the red lanterns was like twinkling stars. Even in such a remote place, they could appreciate a unique flavor.

Even without wine or food, with only a half-eaten candied hawthorn, the romance of the moment and the lively atmosphere of the city are the best wine.

The young man had imagined that perhaps they would hold a wedding ceremony that was fully in line with the times, going through many complicated rituals, and finally the two of them would begin to bow to each other in front of many guests. At that time, a pair of newlyweds would stand together, tall and beautiful, and all the guests drinking wine would praise it as a wonderful match.

But now, it has become a ceremony that is excessively free.

What Jiang Rongyue and Li Shishi did was the blessings of the people in the city, the red lanterns decorated in every corner and the word "happy" one after another, the well-made brand new wedding clothes and their respective betrothal gifts, and even some irrelevant details.

They entrusted themselves and Hua with the entire right to decide how to conduct the ceremony, as if they believed that only the two of them had the right to make that decision.

To be honest, from the moment he saw the girl putting on his wedding dress, Su Qing'an felt that at this point, the final details of the ceremony were largely unimportant. He said softly:

"Hua, did Rongyue tell you what the signal was that the ceremony was complete?"

Fu Hua thought for a moment and replied:

"Rongyue only said that we'll know when the time comes, and it will be very obvious."

Not long after the words were spoken, sparks flew into the sky, bursting into fireworks.

Upon seeing this, all the people in the city stopped what they were doing and, together, looked up at the bright moon and said:

Congratulations on your wedding, immortal!

These words, uttered by millions of people, were like a great wind sweeping across the sky, gently falling between heaven and earth, sprinkling every corner of the city, and reaching the ears of the two, conveying pure blessings.

The lamps illuminate the trees with a thousand lights, and the flowers bloom in seven branches.

The fireworks' brilliance lingers on, only to fade quickly, much like the clamor that pierces the sky before subsiding again.

The boy and the immortal exchanged a knowing glance, and simultaneously unveiled an even more ancient and magnificent celestial Celestial Phenomenon.

The sea of clouds was like a sheet of rice paper in the hands of a painter, which the two of them were painting with their own paints, creating vivid colors, rolling out into a sea of clouds that stretched to the ends of the earth, each occupying one side.

The two of them allowed everyone in Chao Xian City to witness the ceremony in this way, which was far more expansive and boundless than the Celestial Phenomenon that had previously shrouded the entire Qingzhou.

This is a well-deserved and illustrious achievement. The [Stigmata]'s control is almost boundless, even enough to erode all areas of Shenzhou and spread to the remaining tectonic plates along the coast.

Su Qing'an had already heard that the entire Shenzhou knew about their wedding, and that people were even offering their blessings from afar. Therefore, he took the initiative to take over the control of the immortal's Celestial Phenomenon, extending it to even more distant corners, so that the vast Shenzhou was transformed into a world of colorful clouds under the heavy night.

The boy's thoughts were simple: if everyone in the world wished for this, then everyone in the world should be able to see it in order to be considered fair. The Manas consciousness created a series of fluctuations from top to bottom, using the Celestial Phenomenon created by the [Stigmata] as a carrier, spreading to the limit and resonating to the point that even ordinary people could hear it.

"First bow to Heaven and Earth."

"We thank Heaven and Earth for their nurturing and creation."

The immortal, disregarding what would later be considered feudal dross, willingly kowtowed, took up the conversation, and whispered:

"Bowing to the parents twice."

"We express our gratitude to our deceased parents for giving us life."

Thus, the sea of rosy clouds rolled out in waves, and finally, witnessed by countless people, the bright yellow and golden red colors merged into a single color resembling the evening glow.

Finally, Su Qing'an said softly:

"Husband and wife bow to each other."

She and he stated in unison:

"From this day forward, we have made a pact to never betray each other."

Under the witness of the entire Shenzhou.

This young man, who had overcome countless hardships, and this immortal, who had endured thousands of years of solitude and perseverance, faced each other, gently lifting their robes and bowing deeply.

The ceremony is now complete.

The endless colorful clouds dispersed like mist, scattering their radiant glow into countless fireflies that lit up the earth.

This grand wedding day, which had been the envy of many, has finally come to an end.