Chapter 86: From Now On, You and I Share the Same Fate

Chapter 86: Chapter 86: From Now On, You and I Share the Same Fate

Chu Fan was already exceptionally talented, and since this Cultivation Technique was copied directly into his memory, practicing it wasn’t difficult at all.

He only had to practice it a few times, spending a little over an hour, to completely master the First Layer. The only thing lacking was his proficiency with the speed of the transformation.

As for the Second Layer, the prerequisite for practicing it was reaching the Divine Separation Realm in his Cultivation.

So, he decisively gave up on it for now.

Just then, he sensed Yun Xi was about to leave the treehouse. A mischievous thought struck him, and he transformed into Chen Xiao.

Chen Xiao was the disciple of Yun Xi’s father, Yun Keji, and one of the few mutual friends Chu Fan and Yun Xi had at the Lingyun Sect.

The moment Yun Xi descended from the treehouse and saw "Chen Xiao," her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped.

She stammered, "Chen Xiao, you... how... how did you get here?"

Then, her eyes scanned the area, but she couldn’t find any sign of Chu Fan. "Where’s Chu Fan?" she asked.

"Chen Xiao" burst into laughter, then reverted to his original form.

Yun Xi stared at him, even more dumbfounded. "Wh-what... What’s going on?"

"It’s a Martial Technique I got a while back. I just never had the chance to practice it until now. So, what do you think? Was it a good likeness?"

"A Martial Technique? A Transformation Technique? There’s such a strange Martial Technique in the world? Is it hard to learn? Can you teach me, please?"

Yun Xi’s eyes were full of hopeful expectation.

"Of course, no problem!"

’Was that even a question?’ As long as it was something he knew and something Yun Xi wanted to—and could—learn, he would teach her with all his heart.

Chu Fan had doted on Yun Xi since they were children. The only exception was six months ago when his body was crippled, a blow that had hit her hard.

Before that, she had been so well-protected that despite being twenty-two years old, her nature remained kind and pure.

She also had a girlish heart and a playful side.

Yet, she wasn’t the least bit spoiled or willful.

How could she not be interested in something as fun as being able to transform into anyone she wanted?

She was practically bursting with impatience.

And so, one taught and one learned, both so engrossed they forgot to eat or sleep.

In truth, Yun Xi’s own brilliance was merely overshadowed by Chu Fan’s. Her talent was by no means low. Just imagine, even before coming to Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, her Realm had already reached the Heartbeat Realm Late Stage.

How could a twenty-two-year-old at the Heartbeat Realm Late Stage not be considered a prodigy?

However, this Martial Technique had to be taught by Chu Fan, not simply copied into her memory as it was for him. Furthermore, it was impossible to determine the technique’s grade; it was likely even beyond Celestial Level Top Class.

Naturally, that made it somewhat difficult to learn.

Working tirelessly, it took them five days before Yun Xi finally grasped the basics.

Only after teaching Yun Xi did Chu Fan have time to unlock the second piece of Ming Jue Jade.

The second piece of Ming Jue Jade contained a Defense Array called the Circulation Illusionary Array.

Chu Fan had never dabbled in Arrays before. He had only heard his master mention once that some Major Sects in the Central Domain had set up Sect Protection Arrays.

Among all the Cultivation Sects in the entire Eastern Domain, none possessed a legacy in the art of Arrays.

Fortunately, the Array recorded in the Ming Jue Jade only required one to follow the instructions to the letter; it didn’t demand any profound mastery of the art itself.

One only needed to be able to distinguish the positions of the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends, as well as the three hundred and sixty-five True Stars.

After understanding how powerful this Array was, Chu Fan was stunned.

By using one thousand and eighty pieces of Spiritual Jade placed in specific positions, this one Array could unleash incredible power.

’Wouldn’t someone who truly mastered the art of Arrays be absurdly powerful?’ Chu Fan wondered.

When inactive, this Array could conceal everything within a thirty-li radius. Even if someone walked right up to it, they would be unable to see the true appearance of the hidden area.

Once activated, as long as the Spiritual Jade used for the Array Base was of a high enough grade, it could even withstand attacks from a Half-Immortal Realm Cultivator. The duration of this resistance would depend on the grade and size of the Spiritual Jade.

This involved a very complex calculation.

Regardless, with the pile of Spiritual Jade that Xiezhi had left him in the Juntian Mirror World, he had enough to set up two of these grand Arrays. Moreover, these two Arrays could withstand the full-powered attacks of ten Martial Artists below the Tribulation Crossing Realm for an entire month.

’This Array is truly a wonderful thing,’ he thought. ’I don’t have a use for it at the moment, but who knows what the future holds!’

’For example, if I were to establish my own Sect one day, wouldn’t this be perfect?’

’The Juntian Mirror has brought me so many benefits!’

Chu Fan felt extremely pleased with himself at that moment.

One night, seven days after Chu Fan had learned the Illusory Body Technique, Yun Xi began pestering him to let her go bathe in the nearby river. She claimed she hadn’t bathed in a long time and was starting to smell.

But Chu Fan recalled that she had clearly bathed just the afternoon before last!

’Aside from the fresh fragrance of Spirit Medicine, she carried the subtle, sweet scent of a young maiden. How could anyone possibly describe that as ’smelly’?’

However, there was sometimes no reasoning with a woman. Besides, it was just a bath, and all she wanted was for him to stand guard. It wasn’t a big deal, so Chu Fan readily agreed.

Yun Xi bathed for a full half-hour. If his spiritual sense couldn’t hear the SPLASHING of the water, he might have worried she’d been swept away by the river.

However, when Yun Xi emerged from the river and walked before Chu Fan, having changed into the mended and freshly washed wedding dress, he froze on the spot.

As the foremost prodigy of the Eastern Domain, Yun Xi’s beauty was a given, but tonight, she was the most beautiful Chu Fan had ever seen her.

She wore the red phoenix crown and wedding dress, and her skin, already as flawless and delicate as jade, now held a faint, rosy blush.

She was like a lotus blossom emerging from the water—delicate, graceful, and breathtakingly beautiful.

Like a Fairy descended from the heavens, her beauty was beyond compare, so radiant that even the bright moon seemed to dim in her presence.

Seeing Chu Fan’s dazed expression, Yun Xi’s heart filled with joy. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the treehouse.

Yes, he was dragged. The entire way back, Chu Fan remained in a daze, utterly captivated by her beauty.

Inside the treehouse, she had somehow prepared two red candles. Yun Xi walked over and lit them.

Using clay bowls for cups and water for wine, Yun Xi filled two cups of "wine."

Chu Fan finally realized what Yun Xi was planning to do.

Before he could speak, Yun Xi said, "Chu Fan, ever since we were children, my greatest wish has been to become your wife. We’ve been through so much in the past six months, and it has only made my conviction stronger. From everything you’ve done for me, I know you feel the same. A marriage should be a union of families, an occasion blessed by our elders. But you and I have no family left; for the rest of our lives, we have only each other. So, I don’t long for a grand wedding, and I don’t need anyone’s blessing. As long as you continue to care for me as you always have, I will have no regrets in this life. Tonight, I, Yun Xi, swear to the heavens: from this day forward, I am Chu Fan’s wife, to be called Mrs. Zhu Yun. Chu Fan, will you marry me?"

When she finished, she tilted her head back and looked into Chu Fan’s eyes, her own gaze full of hope.

It was impossible for Chu Fan not to be moved. ’When a woman would do all this for you,’ he thought, ’what more could a man ask for?’

Chu Fan subconsciously raised his hand, intending to ruffle the back of her hair, but stopped mid-air, worried he would mess up her ornate headpiece. Instead, he reached out and gently tapped her on the nose.

"You silly girl, why didn’t you tell me in advance? I would have prepared so much more. Don’t you understand how I feel about you by now? Don’t even ask if I’m willing. If you ever tried to back out, I would chase you to the ends of the earth to bring you back."

At this, Chu Fan raised three fingers and declared solemnly, "I, Chu Fan, swear to the heavens: From this day on, Yun Xi is my wife. For the rest of our lives, I will risk everything to protect her and ensure she never suffers any wrong. One day, I will give her the grandest wedding the world has ever seen. If I break this vow, may the heavens strike me down and the earth—"

Before the final word of his oath could leave his lips, Yun Xi pressed her slender hand against his mouth.

She picked up one of the cups and handed it to Chu Fan.

After drinking this cup, they would be one, bound together for life, never to be parted.

Putting down her cup, Yun Xi threw her arms around him and leaned in for a kiss, only to be gently pushed away by Chu Fan...