Chapter 723 Tushan Jing Ci Comes to Offer Congratulations

At Seeking Immortal Temple, once the majority of guests had arrived, the auspicious hour finally began.

The young acolytes of Seeking Immortal Temple simultaneously lit the firecrackers they had prepared. The CRACKLE and POP of explosions resounded from every corner of the temple’s main peak, scattering red paper fragments everywhere.

Suonas, gongs, drums, and an array of other instruments struck up a tune, their cheerful melody echoing through the mountains.

The once quiet and elegant Daoist temple was instantly transformed, bustling with activity and overflowing with a festive air.

Xiao Mo mounted a large red horse, adorned with red silks and colorful ribbons, and rode slowly toward Gui Junmeng’s courtyard.

A large, ornately decorated bridal sedan followed leisurely behind the red horse, its frame swaying gently with the bearers’ steps.

Many of the guests, particularly the younger disciples of the temple, excitedly trailed behind the procession to join the fun. Chatting and laughing, they formed a long, winding line that snaked its way forward like a dragon.

Before long, Xiao Mo arrived at the gate to Gui Junmeng’s courtyard.

Senior Sister Lin, Senior Sister Huang, and several of their fellow disciples were already lined up at the gate to greet him, their faces wreathed in smiles.

The female disciples of Seeking Immortal Temple had set up several “door games” for the groom’s party, such as catching a Flying Sword with one’s Spiritual Power or solving a chess puzzle. None of the challenges were particularly difficult; they were mainly for fun and to liven up the celebration.

The only challenge that made Xiao Mo feel a bit awkward was being asked to compose a few lines of love poetry on the spot.

Only if his verses earned their approval would the disciples let him pass through the gate.

Left with no other choice, Xiao Mo picked up a brush and composed a few verses. As Senior Sister Lin and the others listened, they all started to blush. While rubbing their arms and exclaiming, “So cheesy! So cheesy!” they laughed and finally cleared a path, allowing him to pass.

After entering the courtyard, Xiao Mo followed tradition and stood before the door to the bride’s chambers. Facing it, he recited the groom’s plea in a clear, loud voice.

His voice was clear and steady, every word filled with sincerity.

A moment later, the door to the chambers slowly swung open.

Tushan Xinhua walked toward Xiao Mo step by step, holding one end of a red silk ribbon in one hand and her daughter’s hand in the other.

Xiao Mo was momentarily stunned to see Tushan Xinhua herself leading Gui Junmeng out, but a wave of relief soon washed over him. He watched quietly as they drew closer, step by step.

“Xiao Mo, from this day forward, I am entrusting Jun Meng to you. I hope you will treat her well and never fail her.”

Leading her soon-to-be-wed daughter, Tushan Xinhua had stopped before Xiao Mo. She looked at him with a solemn gaze as she spoke in a soft voice.

“A husband and wife spend their lives together, and it’s inevitable there will be some friction. If Jun Meng does something wrong, you must be patient with her. There’s nothing in this world that can’t be solved by talking it through.”

“Yes. Please rest assured, Madam,” Xiao Mo said, nodding earnestly. “I will be sure to treat Jun Meng well.”

“We’ve come this far, and you’re still calling me ‘Madam’?” Tushan Xinhua said with a light chuckle.

Xiao Mo’s expression froze. Then, a bit bashfully, he corrected himself. “Mother…”

“That’s more like it.” Tushan Xinhua smiled as she placed the red silk ribbon into Xiao Mo’s hand.

The moment Xiao Mo took the ribbon, he could feel Gui Junmeng’s small hand tremble on the other end.

Beneath the red bridal veil, her head dipped involuntarily, hiding a face already flushed crimson with shyness.

Xiao Mo could perfectly imagine the deep blush that must be on her cheeks beneath the red veil.

After carefully helping Gui Junmeng into the bridal sedan, Xiao Mo swung himself up onto the decorated red horse and settled firmly in the saddle.

The cheerful blast of suonas sounded once more, accompanied by the clash of gongs and drums, as the grand wedding procession made its way toward the main hall of Seeking Immortal Temple.

At the entrance to the main hall, Xiao Mo dismounted and gently led Gui Junmeng from the bridal sedan.

The couple entered the hall side by side. First, they respectfully kowtowed to the Three Pure Ones, then to the ancestral patriarchs of Seeking Immortal Temple.

Finally, the pair bowed deeply before a portrait of a Human Race Sword Immortal, whose face was indistinct.

Xiao Mo had heard the tales of this Human Race Sword Immortal countless times, and his heart was filled with reverence.

He knew full well that if this Human Race Sword Immortal hadn’t risen up in defiance back then, the Ten Thousand Races would still be nothing more than straw dogs, enslaved by the gods for generation after generation, with no hope of ever breaking free.

After they had paid their respects to the ancestors and honored figures of the past, it was time to announce the wedding gifts.

The guests attending the banquet were all prominent figures. And according to the wedding customs of the Demon Race’s World, their gifts would be announced aloud. Therefore, none of them could bring something insignificant, or they would lose face.

However, when Senior Sister Lin announced that Gui Ning and Tushan Xinhua had each gifted an Immortal Grade Magical Artifact, the once-boisterous hall fell instantly silent.

The self-satisfied expressions on the guests’ faces froze. They glanced at one another in dismay, suddenly feeling that their own gifts were rather shabby in comparison.

Once the gift announcement concluded, the auspicious hour for the wedding ceremony proper had arrived.

The guests took their seats in sequence throughout Seeking Immortal Temple, and appetizers were already being laid out on the tables.

However, few people picked up their chopsticks.

They were all waiting for the most important moment to begin.

“The auspicious hour is upon us! The wedding ceremony shall begin! Will the honored elders please take their seats?”

Senior Sister Lin stood in the center of the great hall, her voice ringing out, clear and solemn.

As everyone watched, Gui Ning, Tushan Xinhua, and Daoist Yun Xi walked to the front of the hall and slowly took their seats.

“What’s going on? Why is Gui Ning going up there?”

“And Tushan Xinhua, too? What is their exact relationship to Gui Junmeng?”

“Could it be… that the rumors are true?”

For a moment, the hall was filled with whispers as fervent discussions broke out among the guests.

Many of them recalled the long-standing rumor that the Tushan Saintess and Gui Junmeng were sisters.

Although they didn’t know the tangled story behind it all, the scene before them seemed to confirm that the rumor was largely true.

“First bow, to Heaven and Earth!”

As Senior Sister Lin’s voice resounded through the great hall, all whispering ceased, and a solemn silence fell over the room.

At the front of the hall, Xiao Mo and Gui Junmeng faced Heaven and Earth and bowed deeply.

“Second bow, to the elders!”

Xiao Mo and Gui Junmeng turned and bowed in unison to Gui Ning, Tushan Xinhua, and Daoist Yun Xi.

“Third bow, to each other!”

Under the smiling gazes of Yun Xi and the others, Xiao Mo and Gui Junmeng turned to stand face-to-face.

“Bow!” Senior Sister Lin called out, her voice filled with joy, though she couldn’t help but feel a little sentimental.

‘In the past, she and her fellow disciples had often wondered which lucky man would end up with such a wonderful girl. Now, it seemed that lucky man was Xiao Mo. Then again, he was a pretty good match.’

But just as Xiao Mo and Gui Junmeng were about to bow to each other to complete the ceremony…

Suddenly, the voice of a male disciple rang out from outside the hall, announcing an arrival:

“From Tushan—Tushan Jing Ci has arrived to present a wedding gift!”