Early in the morning, Cai Zhao sensed something was off with Constant Ning. After last night’s banquet, he had been listless and quiet, not recovering his spirits even until bedtime.
Unexpectedly, from this morning, Constant Ning seemed like a different person. Not only was he energetic and smiling at everyone, but he also addressed the Cai couple as “nephew,” “junior,” and “uncle and aunt,” his attitude respectful yet forthright, his eyes showing both admiration and hidden pain. Cai Zhao inwardly called him a drama king.
She stepped back and asked her younger brother, “Little Han, don’t you think he’s changed too quickly?”
Cai Han lifted his chubby face from his porridge bowl: “Sister, don’t be upset. He probably just doesn’t like you and those Azure Void Sect people, but he’s still very respectful to elders.”
Cai Zhao wanted to throw her brother away.
Ning Xiaofeng pulled her daughter aside and whispered, “Ning seems quite different from what you described. Even after such a family tragedy, he hasn’t lost his manners. Don’t talk behind his back about his temperament being difficult anymore.”
Cai Zhao anxiously replied, “Mother, he wasn’t like this yesterday. He was so fierce when confronting Qi Lingbo.” And he wasn’t polite to me either, she thought.
Ning Xiaofeng gave her daughter a sideways glance: “Who could remain calm facing Yin Sulian and her daughter? It’s clear that Brother Constant distinguished between gratitude and grudges, and must have often spoken to his son about those despicable Yins!”
Cai Zhao: …
The five of them, properly dressed, walked out in single file. They reached the largest hall of Muwei Palace, the Chaoyang Hall, and split into three directions.
At the front of Chaoyang Hall’s main chamber stood an altar full of fresh flowers and fruits. On either side below it were three dark chairs with red-gold Seven Star patterns. The sect leaders of Qi, Song, Zhou, and Yang were already seated. Cai Pingchun went over, cupped his hands in greeting to the four, and sat in the third position on the right—one of the six chairs remained empty.
Regardless of how drunk Song Shijun had been last night, now sitting opposite Qi Yunke, he looked both dignified and imposing, as if this were his grand hall. Noticing the empty seat below him, he sneered and looked pointedly at Qi Yunke, his eyes saying, “It’s about to start, and Taichu Temple still hasn’t arrived. What do you say, big brother?”
Qi Yunke pretended not to notice.
While this was happening in the main hall, the right side hall housed guests like Changchun Temple, Xuankong Nunnery, and the Sand Tiger Gang. The left side hall naturally accommodated the families and disciples of the Six Northern Sects. Ning Xiaofeng spotted Yin Sulian at the front of the left hall, standing among a group of women who were fawning over her, looking smug—how could the valiant Lady Ning tolerate such an infuriating sight? Of course not!
She immediately pulled her son along, striding forward to confront her old rival.
Cai Zhao found herself in a dilemma. Beside her stood Constant Ning, whose face could scare half a dozen children to tears. He wasn’t considered a disciple of either Falling Petal Valley or Azure Void Sect, so where should they go?
“Stand wherever you like. Who dares to make a fuss?” Constant Ning said indifferently.
Cai Zhao sneered, “Oh, Young Master Constant, are you done pretending to be humble, gentle, and lovable?”
Constant Ning glanced at her, “Would you rather I tell your parents that we had a big argument yesterday and parted on bad terms and that you only agreed to protect me under duress?”
Cai Zhao immediately shut up.
At this moment, Fan Xingjia came over, saying that Zeng Dalou had instructed earlier for Cai and Constant earlier to participate in the ceremony with the Azure Void Sect disciples. As the three-spoke, they saw Qi Lingbo and Dai Fengchi approaching gracefully, one in front and one behind.
Fan Xingjia’s brow twitched—when these four met, it was like a powder keg meeting a spark, instantly causing fireworks.
Seeing them, Qi Lingbo smiled thinly, “Oh my, I heard that last night, Sister Zhaozao and Brother Constant were staying next door to each other. You two hit it off, didn’t you?”
Cai Zhao didn’t answer but looked around. Qi Lingbo was displeased: “What are you looking at? Didn’t you hear me talking to you?”
Cai Zhao turned back: “I’m looking for Senior Brother Song. His fiancée is always coming and going with others, he sure is open-minded…”
“What nonsense are you spouting!” Dai Fengchi’s face reddened slightly.
Qi Lingbo held him back and forced a smile: “Second Senior Brother and I have grown up together since childhood, as close as siblings. In my heart, I’ve long seen Second Senior Brother as my brother, and he sees me no differently than a sister. It’s fine if others misunderstand, but we insiders must not make wild guesses. In short, Second Senior Brother and I are pure and aboveboard, with nothing to be ashamed of. As for Sister Zhaozao, you said yesterday that you would protect Brother Constant, which raised a question in my mind…” She dragged out the last syllable, waiting for Cai Zhao to ask.
“Oh.” Cai Zhao felt utterly unmoved.
Qi Lingbo suppressed her displeasure and continued smiling: “If Brother Constant recovers from the poison quickly, that’s fine. But what if he doesn’t recover for a long time—one year, two years, three years… By then, Sister Zhaozao will have married and gone to Peiqiong Mountain Villa. What will happen to Brother Constant then?”
Hearing this nonsense, Cai Zhao had long lost patience. Just as she was about to retort, a pale, slender hand pressed on her shoulder. Constant Ning stepped forward.
“By then, Sister Zhaozao will naturally take me along to Peiqiong Mountain Villa,” he said with a smile.
Qi Lingbo thought she had misheard: “What did you say?!”
Dai Fengchi & Fan Xingjia: ????
Cai Zhao: “…” How come I didn’t know about this myself?
“The late Sect Leader Yin once said that it’s our unshirkable duty to uphold justice and protect the weak. So how could there be a time limit of one, two, or three years? If I’m unfortunate and take a long time to recover, would Sister Zhaozao abandon me? No, that’s impossible!”
Constant Ning’s voice was full of pure sincerity, sounding even better than actors on stage. Qi Lingbo’s earlier talk of brothers and sisters was already sickeningly sweet, but Constant Ning had outdone her.
The others were completely baffled, while Cai Zhao maintained an expressionless face.
“After Sister Zhaozao goes to Peiqiong Mountain Villa when she has her wedding ceremony, I’ll help her receive guests. When she enters the bridal chamber, I’ll help pour the nuptial wine. Afterward, I’ll eat at the same table and practice martial arts together with Sister Zhaozao and her husband. I’ve always heard that Young Master Zhou is kind-hearted and benevolent. I’m sure he won’t mind me. Senior Sister Qi, don’t you agree?”
“This… this doesn’t seem quite right. Young Master Zhou might mind…” Qi Lingbo stammered.
“Not,” Constant Ning said with certainty. “Senior Sister Qi just said that Sister Zhaozao and I hit it off immediately. In my heart, I see her as my sister, and in her heart, she sees me no differently than a brother. It’s fine if others misunderstand, but we insiders must not make wild guesses. In short, Sister Zhaozao and I are pure and aboveboard. Since Young Master Zhou has the heart of a gentleman, how could he mind!”
Qi Lingbo & Dai Fengchi: …
Cai Zhao fumed inwardly: [expletive] My mother’s thunder!
Fan Xingjia started sweating.
Constant Ning’s eyes were pure: “Senior Sister Qi, you wouldn’t stop associating with Senior Brother Dai after you get married, would you?”
Qi Lingbo smiled awkwardly.
Constant Ning became even more sincere: “And Senior Brother Dai, you and Senior Sister Qi have such a deep bond. In the future, you can be like me too—eating at the same table and practicing martial arts together with Sister Qi and Brother Song. Brother Song is so open-minded, I’m sure he won’t mind either!”
Dai Fengchi became distracted.
He had known since childhood that Qi Lingbo and Song Yuzhi were engaged, and although it made him feel bad, he always thought it was something very far in the future, so far that he didn’t need to think about it. But after Constant Ning’s vivid description, he realized his future might be even worse than Constant Ning’s, and he began to feel anxious and insecure.
Fan Xingjia stared blankly at the sky. He suddenly felt dizzy as he thought of the proud Song Yuzhi eating dinner, watching his wife laughing and chatting intimately with her childhood friend and fellow disciple.
Meanwhile, Cai Zhao tugged at Chang Ning’s sleeve, lowering his voice threateningly, “That’s enough. Don’t overdo it.”
Chang Ning forcefully pulled his sleeve back. “We’re just getting started,” he retorted. Then, raising his voice, he continued his warm and enthusiastic nonsense, “Senior Sister Qi and Senior Brother Dai, you have a long life ahead. You should think about where to live in the future. Make sure it’s close by; living far apart won’t do…”
In truth, both Dai and Qi knew Chang Ning’s words were absurd. However, one had long been accustomed to being a subservient follower, never considering his future. The other had grown used to being flattered and praised, reluctant to let go of her handsome, proud, and exceptionally skilled fiancé. Each harboring their concerns, neither could bring themselves to contradict Chang Ning.
As Chang Ning’s words became increasingly outrageous, Cai Zhao was about to drag the troublemaker away. Suddenly, a cold, proud voice cut through the air: “What are you all doing here?!”
Everyone turned to see Song Yuzhi, his face solemn, frowning at them.
“Third Senior Brother, you’re finally here!” Fan Xingjia exclaimed, his eyes nearly tearing up with emotion as if witnessing a deity descending to save the world.
Dai and Qi remained silent, their expressions changing.
Cai Zhao thought to himself, “If you hadn’t come, Chang Ning would have planned your fiancée’s and senior brother’s lives until the end of time.”
Chang Ning, never one to let an opportunity for mischief pass, said, “Ah Senior Brother Song, you’re here. We were just talking about the future…”
“We were just chatting idly, nothing important!” Cai Zhao interjected, pulling Chang Ning behind him and shooting him a warning glare to stop his nonsense.
Song Yuzhi stared at her for a moment before turning to Fan Xingjia. He admonished, “Senior Brother is too busy to attend to everything, so he sent Sixth Junior Brother to find Junior Sister Cai and Junior Brother Chang. How did you end up chatting idly? The time for the sacrificial ceremony is almost upon us.”
Fan Xingjia, not daring to argue, could only apologize quietly.
“Alright, let’s get in line,” Song Yuzhi ordered finally.
Everyone complied, even Chang Ning, who was pushed into nodding by Cai Zhao.
For today’s ceremony, disciples from each sect wore their respective traditional attire. The Qingque Sect members donned white robes with silver edges and blue sashes. The Guangtian Gate wore crimson brocade embroidered with golden suns. The Beiqiong Mountain Manor disciples were dressed in light blue robes with silver-embroidered landscapes and wide sleeves. The Siqimen wore yellow-fitted clothes embroidered with four dark horses. Only the Luoying Valley stood out—since their ancestors advocated for following nature’s course, everyone wore whatever they pleased.
Fortunately, the Luoying Valley had the fewest disciples, so their diverse attire wasn’t too jarring.
Upon joining the Qingque Sect’s ranks, Cai Zhao met Fourth Senior Brother Ding Zhuo for the first time.
Ding Zhuo, about seventeen or eighteen years old, had lightly tanned skin, clearly from years of practicing martial arts under the sun. His features were handsome, and his demeanor was upright and fierce, reminiscent of an unsheathed sword. Cai Zhao greeted him respectfully, to which Ding Zhuo merely nodded slightly in response before turning away, no longer acknowledging anyone else.
Aware of Chang Ning’s propensity for causing trouble at any moment, Cai Zhao didn’t dare stand too close to the other sects’ disciples. Instead, she grabbed Chang Ning’s sleeve and positioned them at the back of the side hall. She finally understood Fan Xingjia’s efforts to keep them separated from others and couldn’t help but reproach Chang Ning: “With your acting skills, why don’t you perform on stage?”
Chang Ning raised an eyebrow. “Are you so anxious because you’re afraid I might follow you to Beiqiong Mountain Manor?”
Cai Zhao rolled her eyes. “Follow me! You absolutely must come to Beiqiong Mountain Manor with me. I’ll find you a strong, burly girl there to be your wife. That way, someone can protect you. How’s that?”
Chang Ning frowned. “Wait until you’re married to flaunt your power as the young mistress’s wife. You speak as if this marriage is a done deal!”
“My mother and Uncle Zhou have agreed, so how is it not settled?” Cai Zhao pondered for a moment. “It was the same back then. There was a lot of opposition to my aunt and Uncle Zhou’s marriage, but once the old master of the Zhou family insisted, no one dared to object.”
Hearing this, Chang Ning smiled strangely. “Don’t get too excited. What if this Zhou turns out to be a bad person?”
“Nonsense!” Cai Zhao flared up. “You’re criticizing my elders again. Have you already forgotten our three rules?”
“Look,” Chang Ning pointed to the front of the left side hall. Cai Zhao held her tongue and followed his gaze.
They saw Ning Xiaofeng smiling, having said something that left Yin Sulian red-faced and unsteady, supported by the young and charming Madam Sha from Siqimen. After upsetting Yin Sulian, Ning Xiaofeng turned to the Zhou family’s women and disciples, speaking cheerfully and wittily, making everyone laugh.
Cai Zhao looked closely at one of the women. “That’s Aunt Zhixian from the Zhou family, Uncle Zhou’s cousin. She’s incredibly skilled with dual swords. Years ago, her fiancé was killed by villains from the Demon Sect, and she vowed never to marry. She single-handedly raised Brother Yuqian and Brother Yukun after their parents died early.”
She turned back to Chang Ning. “What’s wrong with that?”
Chang Ning, with one hand behind his back, said casually, “This morning, I chatted with your mother and found that she was quite dissatisfied with Sect Leader Qi but very close to and supportive of Master Zhou.”
Cai Zhao was puzzled. “What’s wrong with that? Uncle Zhou is a good person.”
Chang Ning continued, “Isn’t Sect Leader Qi a good person too? Your mother always blames Sect Leader Qi for not sharing life and death with Lady Cai and for marrying Madam Sulian, who had conflicts with Lady Cai. But if you think about it, isn’t Master Zhou the same? He was Lady Cai’s fiancé—he didn’t share her fate either and married a woman from the Min family, who had issues with Lady Cai.”
Cai Zhao’s thoughts became muddled. “At that time, Uncle Zhou was caught up in other matters, and my aunt deliberately kept things from him… In any case, you’re still criticizing my elders!”
Chang Ning laughed coldly. “I’m saying this for your good. If you don’t want to hear it, I’ll stop. Watching a thousand plays and reading ten thousand novels in Luoying Town can’t compare to experiencing the complexities of the real world!”
“The complexities of the world are nothing compared to your wolf-like nature!” Cai Zhao fumed. “I’ve known you for just two days, and I’ve already wanted to hit you three times and tear you apart four times!”
Hearing this, Chang Ning leaned in closer, taunting, “Then hit me! Go ahead, don’t hold back!”
Cai Zhao almost raised her hand but restrained herself. “Your face is already such a mess, I’m afraid of dirtying my hands!”
They parted ways for the nth time, but neither dared to move far from the other. They stood back-to-back, fuming. Fortunately, their corner was so secluded that no one noticed them.
Suddenly, a thunderous boom like falling rocks echoed from outside the hall, startling everyone inside.
In that instant, Cai Zhao instinctively pulled Chang Ning behind her protectively. However, they then heard Zeng Dalou from the main hall announcing loudly, “Venerable Fakong from Changchun Temple has arrived!”
An elderly monk with a long white beard stood at the entrance, his expression kind. Behind him were six strong-looking warrior monks with piercing gazes.
“The Venerable One has finally arrived. Our humble sect is truly honored,” Qi Yunke’s hearty laugh rang out as the Five Northern Sects rose to welcome the guests. Among the seated guests, only Master Jingyuan from Xuankong Nunnery remained seated.
Song Shijun laughed heartily. “Brother Yang was just saying that the Venerable One might not make it in time. I said that was impossible—when the Venerable One gives his word, he always arrives on time! Brother Yang, see, I was right! Hahaha…”
Yang Heying quickly agreed.
Venerable Fakong smiled. “This is the 200th anniversary of our predecessor’s passing. No matter what, this old monk couldn’t miss it. It’s been many years, and I’m glad to see you all looking as well as ever.”
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they all proceeded into the hall. Venerable Fakong first exchanged greetings with Master Jingyuan. After some polite back-and-forth, Venerable Fakong, being ten years senior, took the seat of honor on the right side of the hall.
Seeing this, Cai Zhao finally relaxed her guard. When she turned her head, she found Chang Ning’s beautiful, bright eyes quietly watching her. Embarrassed, she said, “So that was just a welcoming salute for the honored guests. I was startled because I didn’t know… What are you looking at?”
“I spoke rashly again earlier. I want to apologize to Sister Zhao,” he said, setting aside his previous sharpness and sincerely apologizing. To be fair, when Chang Ning wasn’t intentionally annoying others, he exuded a natural elegance. At this moment, his voice was particularly gentle and pleasant. “I have a bad temper. Next time I make you angry, feel free to scold me harshly.”
Cai Zhao, being naturally generous, gave him a mock glare and smiled. “There’s going to be a next time? If you keep talking nonsense like this, I won’t bother scolding you—I’ll just give you a good beating!”
Chang Ning smiled brightly. “That works too.”