The wind blew over, bringing with it the fragrance of flower petals.
The music was melodious, sending over the joy of the wedding.
However, Xu Qing's heart stirred at this moment. He followed the team and retracted his gaze from the captain.
Ever since he arrived at the Unending Mountain Range, Xu Qing had observed the captain's abnormalities more than once.
Regardless of whether it was the fact that he had deliberately said a lot of things, the action of giving the apple, or the subsequent observations, all of these made Xu Qing feel that there was something amiss with the captain.
However, this wasn't right. It didn't seem like the captain's way. It was more like the captain was deliberately revealing a flaw that only he could identify.
'He's reminding me.' Xu Qing mumbled inwardly.
He could sense that the captain had no intention of harming him. He was very clear about this.
Even if he recalled the other party's actions on the way, this point was still clear.
Moreover, this wasn't the first or second time the two of them had done something big. Hence, Xu Qing knew the captain's style.
'This reminder doesn't sound like a cry for help. It's more like there are some things that aren't convenient for him to say directly, so he used this method to make me pay attention.'
Xu Qing fell into deep thought and recalled the bird earlier. He also recalled the reactions of everyone in the surroundings after he caught that bird.
"Even though the bird is real, the behavior of real life is changeable, yet it still returns to its original path. There's a sense of being compelled, as if everything is prearranged."
Xu Qing frowned and checked D132. He discovered that the god's finger was normal and was still in a deep sleep. This meant that It didn't sense anything amiss with the outside world.
"And earlier, when everyone around suddenly looked at me, it seemed like my actions were very out of place among them. Or perhaps… the person I was impersonating shouldn't have made such a move?"
Xu Qing remained silent. Everything had gone extremely smoothly after he entered the Unending Mountain Range. If he didn't think about it, everything seemed normal.
"However, this normality carried an eerie twist."
Xu Qing continued to follow the team. He was prepared to see what would happen at the wedding venue next.
Time slowly passed. The escort team moved very quickly in the sky. Two hours later, they approached the Mystic Life Sect. Lanterns and colorful banners could be seen from afar.
The mountain peaks were adorned with brilliant colors through spells, the trees adorned with red lanterns, and even spells launched into the sky to create one explosion of fireworks after another, echoing throughout the area.
At the same time, disciples from various sects and families in the Unending Mountain Range were mostly invited. They arrived early with their clan elders, forming a circle around the Mystic Life Sect from all directions.
Men, women, old, and young, all of them had smiles on their faces. Everything looked extraordinarily lively.
Laughter rose from everywhere, and joy filled the air.
As the bridal escort team got closer, the atmosphere was completely stirred. Waves of blessings transformed into sound waves that resounded through the clouds.
As for the Mystic Life Sect in front, it was especially colorful under the encirclement of these mountains.
The mountain peak where the sect was located emitted a rainbow light. The main palace at the top of the mountain was decorated like a wedding room. Countless red lanterns rose into the air and even more sunlight scattered down from the sky.
The disciples of the Mystic Life Sect were all in high spirits, and they went out to welcome the guests. A colorful silk carpet was spread from the mountaintop to the base, covering every step.
As the bridal sedan approached the Mystic Life Sect, the sound of ringing bells echoed from within the sect, and an air of solemnity blanketed everything. This silence gathered all the gazes from every direction onto the bridal sedan, which was now even closer to the Mystic Life Sect.
"Fairy Xianghan, please ascend the mountain."
Amidst the respectful greetings, the captain inside the bridal sedan had a look of anticipation. Her cheeks were flushed with a hint of red, and she took a step out of the sedan, standing on the steps.
Her figure was graceful and charming as she walked forward step by step.
More than half of the escort team behind him knelt down. Only the maids and guards beside Nether Fairy followed behind the captain.
Xu Qing was among them.
He looked at the captain's expression and his swaying figure. He sighed with emotion at the other party's exquisite acting skills. If he hadn't seen the captain shave his legs with his own eyes, he would have thought that the captain was really Nether Fairy.
In this manner, amidst the continuous ringing of bells and the echoing sounds of blessings, the captain slowly walked to the mountaintop.
Today was his big day, and everything revolved around him. Wherever he went, the disciples of Mystic Life Sect knelt before him in reverence.
Xu Qing looked at all of this and, for some reason, felt a sense of blessing welling up within his heart.
When the bell rang 21 times, the captain's figure walked up the last step of the mountain peak. The moment he stood there, the captain's previous life body walked out of the palace in the distance.
Today's previous life body was a little different from what Xu Qing had seen back then. He was wearing bright red clothes and he looked more joyous. However, the stench on his body and the ugliness of his appearance weren't much different from before.
The black gas emitted by his breathing was still a shocking sight.
"This is a wedding between him and his past." Xu Qing felt a little regretful that Wu Jianwu didn't come. Otherwise, if he saw this scene with his own eyes, Wu Jianwu would definitely recite a poem.
At this moment, the sound of singing spread to the world.
"As cultivators, we take the heavens as our witness, the earth as our testimony, and the dao as our connection. We join our destinies in this ceremony!"
The captain lowered his head shyly and bowed to his distant husband.
The couple, the captain and his husband, both bowed their heads, performing the ceremony that united them as cultivators. The wedding ceremony reached its climax in an explosion of cheers and applause from the gathered crowd.
Auspicious colors filled the sky and endless light shone. The sky churned and the ground trembled.
Afterward, amidst the lively and extraordinary atmosphere, the captain was escorted to the bridal chamber. There, she would burn incense and wait for her husband to join her.
At that moment, the banquet began on the square of the Mystic Life Sect. Distinguished figures from various sects gathered, as only they had the privilege to be invited to sit there.
As for the other disciples, they were not overlooked. A larger banquet was held outside the Mystic Life Sect, and all those who came to witness the ceremony were well taken care of. This created a joyous atmosphere that resounded from all directions.
As Nether Fairy's guard, Xu Qing didn't have the qualifications to eat at the banquet. He was arranged to maintain order here with the Mystic Life Sect's guards.
Looking at the people in front of him drinking and laughing non-stop, Xu Qing walked among them. The image of the person beside him looking at him with a numb expression after he caught the bird appeared in his mind.
Thinking of this, a bizarre thought rose in Xu Qing's mind again.
'There's another way that can probe the strangeness of the Unending Mountain Range.'
Xu Qing mumbled inwardly and lifted his head to look at the bridal chamber where the captain was.
At this point in the plan, everything depended on the captain's performance.
Xu Qing retracted his gaze and swept his gaze across everyone in the surroundings.
"If everyone is really like that bird…" Xu Qing narrowed his eyes and silently ordered the shadow to control a cultivator.
In an instant, Xu Qing's shadow silently spread out on the ground and instantly got close to a Golden Core cultivator, overlapping with his shadow.
Very soon, the possession was completed.
However, that person was normal. He was still drinking and chatting happily. There were no changes at all.
A dark glint flashed in Xu Qing's eyes. He could sense the intense emotions emitted by the shadow.
"Can't… interfere… forcefully die… Strange…"
Xu Qing ordered the shadow to continue with the others. After a few times, everything was the same and Xu Qing understood.
However, he still needed to verify it. Hence, he ordered the shadow to forcefully control them. Very soon, a Foundation Building cultivator paused under the shadow's efforts. His hand, which was about to reach for the wine glass, changed its trajectory and picked up the chopsticks to pick up the dishes.
The laughter in the surroundings instantly stopped. Countless gazes looked at that person in unison.
Xu Qing's pupils contracted and he immediately dissipated his control.
The cultivator didn't notice at all and placed the dish he picked up back without any mistakes. He also put down his chopsticks and picked up his wine glass again, continuing the actions he had wanted to perform previously.
After drinking it in one gulp, the surrounding people laughed and chatted again. Everything was normal.
Xu Qing closed his eyes.
He understood.
"Everyone's trajectory has been set like that bird. We have to follow this arrangement. Even if an accident happens in the middle, we will reverse it on our own and continue completing it."
"And all the strangeness began after we entered the Unending Mountain Range…"
"All living beings in this mountain range have their fates changed and are weaved according to the thoughts of a certain will."
"It's like a show."
"I'm also in this show."
"Unknowingly, my previous thoughts and actions were also given roles and I became a character in the show."
"I think it's even more so for Wu Jianwu and Ning Yan."
"Perhaps that's why I experience blurriness and overlapping, because the entities within me, whether they are the god's finger or the Purple Moon, cause me to be influenced as well as repel this force. That's why I see the bird pause, and that's why I can contemplate the inconsistencies here."
"Only the captain…" Xu Qing looked at the top of the mountain.
"He should know all of this. He took the initiative to get into character…"
Xu Qing understood. He lowered his head and waited silently.
Time slowly passed and the banquet gradually came to an end. As the sky darkened again and people left one after another, a mournful cry suddenly rang out from the bridal chamber at the top of the mountain.
This blood-curdling scream spread in all directions, causing the color of the sky to change and clouds to surge in all directions.
At this moment, Xu Qing felt dizzy again. As for everyone in the surroundings, they abruptly lifted their heads and their expressions became numb as they looked at the mountain peak.
It seemed that there, a different script was unfolding, one that didn't align with the pre-established narrative!
They weren't the only ones. All the living beings in the entire Mystic Life Sect, including the birds in the sky and the flowers and plants, faced the main hall without moving.
In the main hall, after this blood-curdling scream, footsteps rang out. The captain walked out step by step.
He held a person in his hand. It was his previous life body.
Finally, he stood in front of the palace and looked at his surroundings.
He didn't care about the numb gazes of everyone in the surroundings. His gaze landed on Xu Qing in the distance and a smile appeared on his face as he spoke softly.
"Junior Brother, do you understand?"
As he spoke, his other hand took out a peach and took a bite.
