Transforming into a stunningly beautiful fox spirit, leaving a scar on the heart of a prodigy.

The backyard of Zuixianju, room number 100.

Several mute servants from the Imperial Preceptor's residence put down the large chest made of golden nanmu wood, bowed, and withdrew.

Su Qing was the only one left in the room.

She reached out, her fingertips lingering for a moment on the cold clasp, before gently prying it open.

There was no extraordinary phenomenon of dazzling light; there was only a touch of red, lying quietly at the bottom of the box.

It was an extreme shade of red, as if the sunset had been torn down from the horizon, or as if the blood of one's heart had been splashed onto it.

Su Qing picked up the wedding dress.

It feels warm and smooth to the touch, as light as a feather.

This is the wealth accumulated by the old woman, the Imperial Advisor, over three hundred years. It's fabric woven from the clouds of the heavens and the tears of mermaids, and then sewn stitch by stitch by Gu Xiang.

She untied her skirt and draped the wedding dress over herself.

A figure was reflected in the bronze mirror.

Her red dress was like fire, with a phoenix about to take flight embroidered in gold thread on her waist sash, and her skirt spread out like blooming spider lilies.

Su Qing spun around.

Suddenly, there was a soft "thump" sound behind me.

Nine snow-white fox tails emerged uncontrollably, their whiteness dazzling and their allure startling against the backdrop of the red dress.

She looked at herself in the mirror, and her eyes welled up with tears.

She wore a wedding dress once.

That's fake.

It was to deceive that fool's heart, it was to die.

This time, it's for real.

A soft cough came from outside the door.

"Is it changed?"

Gu Xiang's voice came through the door, sounding somewhat suppressed and hoarse.

Because of the restriction of the intertwined branches, he could not go far, so he sat on the stone steps outside the threshold, holding a pot of wine in his hand.

Su Qing composed herself and forcibly retracted the nine tails.

"What's the rush?"

She smoothed the stray hairs at her temples in front of the mirror, her tone carrying her usual languidness and arrogance.

"I'm naturally beautiful, I look good in anything, why should I need you, you idiot, to criticize me?"

Gu Xiang's low laughter came from outside the door.

"Yes, my wife looks good in anything."

"Even if she were wearing a burlap sack, she would still be the most beautiful woman in the capital."

Su Qing spat.

"He's all glib and smooth talk; he doesn't look like a prime minister at all."

She walked to the door, but instead of opening it, she sat down with her back against the door panel.

The two were separated by a door, back to back.

Their heartbeats, however, followed the unseen intertwined branches, colliding one after another.

"Gu Xiang".

"Um?"

"This wedding dress... is a bit heavy."

Gu Xiang took a sip of wine, his gaze falling on the old locust tree in the courtyard.

"It's going to sink, that's the right thing to do."

"This is the obsession of the Imperial Preceptor for three hundred years, and it is also the life and fortune of me, Gu Xiang."

"When you wear it, you are wearing half of the Great Zhou Dynasty and my heart on your body."

Su Qing pursed her lips, but the corners of her eyes curved into a smile.

"Who cares about your empire?"

As they were talking, the soil in the yard suddenly churned up.

A large head covered in green leaves emerged from the soil, its face filthy, and it was tightly clutching two bamboo baskets in its arms.

It is an earth spirit.

This guy had been doing really well in the capital since he started following Gu Xiang, but now he's acting like a refugee.

"Big Sister! Boss!"

Tu Ling slammed the bamboo basket on the ground and, panting, wiped the mud off his face.

"I'm exhausted. I almost got bitten on the butt by an old turtle in the moat while using earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of escape technique) all the way here."

Su Qing pushed open the door.

The sight of that red figure caught the eye of the earth spirit, startling the little monster so much that it nearly knelt down.

"Wow... Boss, you look absolutely stunning!"

"Even more captivating than the fairies in those paintings!"

Su Qing kicked the bamboo basket on the ground.

"What kind of junk is this?"

Tu Ling chuckled and proudly unveiled the blue cloth covering the area.

"This isn't junk."

"I made a special trip back to Luofengpo to ask Brother Da Niu and the others for this."

The basket wasn't filled with gold or silver jewelry, but rather with red dates and peanuts.

Some of the dates still had mud on them, clearly indicating they had just been knocked off the tree.

"Brother Da Niu said that since it's the Prime Minister's wedding, we country folk don't have much to give as a gift."

"But these red dates and peanuts are a tradition in our Gujia Village."

"May you have a son soon, for many children bring many blessings."

Tu Ling grabbed a handful of peanuts and handed them to Su Qing.

"Big Sister, this was cooked by Second Sister herself, it smells delicious."

Su Qing stared blankly at the handful of peanuts that smelled of earth for a long time.

She reached out, picked up a red date, and put it in her mouth.

Very sweet.

It was so sweet it had a slightly astringent taste.

"Please thank them for me."

Su Qing's voice was somewhat low.

Gu Xiang walked over, grabbed a handful of peanuts from the basket, peeled one open, and fed it to Su Qing.

"Eat."

"This is the heartfelt gift from the villagers, far better than the jade ruyi and gold ingots given by princes and ministers."

Su Qing opened her mouth and bit into a peanut, her fingertips gently tracing across Gu Xiang's palm.

"Gu Xiang".

"Um?"

"Three years ago in the ancestral hall, I tricked you into drinking that cup of wine in the same way."

"At that time, I thought that as long as you hated me, you could live."

Looking back now, I realize how foolish I was.

Gu Xiang paused for a moment.

He looked into Su Qing's reddened fox-like eyes and reached out to pull her into his arms.

"It's all in the past."

"Back then, I was powerless to protect you, so I could only make you give your life for me."

"Things are different now."

Gu Xiang raised his head and looked at the bright moon overhead, a golden aura of righteousness flashing in his eyes.

"Now I possess the spirit of righteousness and wield the power of the Great Zhou."

"If the heavens dare to take your life again, I will cover up the heavens."

"If the earth dares to take you, I will shatter it."

Su Qing leaned against him, listening to the powerful beating of his exquisite heart, and a smile appeared on her lips.

"Quite the boast."

"Aren't you afraid the wind will make you bite your tongue?"

Just then, the courtyard gate was pushed open.

A figure dressed in plain clothes walked in, carrying two jars of wine.

It was Emperor Li Yu of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

He didn't bring any guards; he was just like an ordinary wealthy man. He walked straight to the stone table and sat down.

"I could smell this sour stench from a great distance."

"Prime Minister Gu, your public displays of affection are so intense that they're almost flooding my imperial study."

Gu Xiang released Su Qing, did not bow, and walked over to sit down opposite Li Yu.

"Your Majesty's late-night visit, could it be that you're here to eavesdrop?"

Li Yu broke the mud seal and poured a bowl of wine for Gu Xiang.

"The north is not peaceful."

He wiped the smile from his face, his expression turning serious.

"The Imperial Observatory reports that dark clouds are pressing down on the land abandoned by the gods, and an aura of death pervades the area."

"Although the Mountain Moving Sect has the 300,000 troops you transferred there, I still feel uneasy."

"Those old monsters are probably going to get restless."

Gu Xiang picked up the wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

"Let them wait."

He slammed the empty bowl heavily onto the stone table.

"Tomorrow is my wedding day."

"Even if the Heavenly King himself comes, he'd better keep quiet."

"After I finish the wedding ceremony and enter the bridal chamber, I'll go north and twist their heads off to use as footballs."

Li Yu stared at Gu Xiang's murderous look for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"good!"

"Truly worthy of being my prime minister!"

"That's exactly what I've been waiting for you to say!"

"Tomorrow is your wedding day, and I will personally officiate!"

"I want to see who dares to provoke the Great Zhou at this critical juncture!"

Li Yu is gone.

Two jars of imperial wine were left behind, along with a courtyard full of grandeur.

After that, people who wanted to give gifts arrived one after another.

The six ministers, princes and nobles, and even the major cultivation families in the capital city all sent congratulatory gifts.

The courtyard was filled with rare and precious treasures.

The most surprising thing was that the Mountain Moving Sect also came.

Elder Tie arrived.

The hot-tempered old man, however, was now as timid as a quail, respectfully handing over a jade box.

"Prime Minister Gu, Miss Su."

"This is a thousand-year-old snow lotus that my ancestor specially sent over. It has the effect of strengthening the body's foundation and nourishing the vital energy."

"Our ancestor said that the Mountain Moving Sect is ashamed of the matter concerning the sacred tree."

"If there is any need for service in the future, the entire Mountain Moving Sect will be willing to die for it."

Gu Xiang took the jade box and casually tossed it to the earth spirit beside him.

"Please thank your ancestors for me."

"And I also trouble you to guard the entrance to the Forsaken Land."

Elder Tie repeatedly said he would withdraw.

Late at night.

The noise subsided.

Su Qing sat inside the room when the Phoenix True Fire within her body suddenly flickered.

A surge of heat rose from my dantian and traveled throughout my body along my meridians.

She instinctively covered her chest.

There, Gu Xiang's heartbeat seemed to quicken.

The two people's auras resonated in a strange way, even though they were ten meters apart.

Like two flames, slowly merging together.

"What's wrong?"

Gu Xiang noticed her unusual behavior and pushed the door open to come in.

Su Qing shook her head, her cheeks feeling slightly hot.

"fine."

"I just feel... this wedding dress is a bit too hot."

Gu Xiang walked over and took her hand.

A cool, righteous energy flowed through his palm, suppressing the heat.

"Get some rest."

"I have to get up early tomorrow."

Su Qing nodded and was about to lie down.

A dark shadow suddenly flashed past the window.

"Who?"

Gu Xiang's eyes turned cold, and his fingertips had already gripped a chess piece.

"it's me."

The window was pushed open.

The Grand Preceptor's masked face appeared outside the window.

She didn't go inside; she just stood by the window and handed in a yellow talisman.

The talisman was covered with intricate blood-red patterns, exuding a chilling aura.

"This is a substitute death charm."

The Imperial Advisor's voice was very low, as if he was afraid of disturbing something.

"It was made from one of my tails."

"Su Qing, take this."

Su Qing did not answer.

"Old woman, what do you mean by this?"

"On such a joyous occasion, you're sending such an unlucky gift?"

The Imperial Advisor sighed and forcefully stuffed the talisman into Su Qing's hand.

"The wedding is tomorrow, but the celestial secrets are in chaos."

"Those lurking in the shadows will definitely make their move."

"Gu Xiang is protected by a righteous spirit and blessed by the national fortune of the Great Zhou Dynasty, so they can't touch him."

"But you are different."

"You are a demon, and also a variable."

"If it really comes to the point of no return..."

The Imperial Advisor gave Gu Xiang a deep look.

"Staying alive is the most important thing."

After saying that, she flashed and disappeared into the night.

Su Qing held the talisman in her hand, her fingertips turning white.

Gu Xiang took the talisman from her hand, glanced at it, and tucked it directly into the book.

"No need."

He turned and walked to his desk, spread out the Xuan paper, ground the ink, and picked up his brush.

"What are you going to do?" Su Qing asked.

"Writing characters."

Gu Xiang dipped his brush in ink and began to write.

Golden characters appeared on the paper.

It is neither poetry nor prose, nor is it the writing of sages.

It is the "Seeking the Phoenix" letter.

"The phoenix soars high, seeking its mate across the four seas."

"Alas, the beauty is not on the east wall."

……

With each word that falls, a surge of righteous energy overflows from the tip of the pen and merges into the void.

Gu Xiang wrote very slowly and very carefully.

He wrote one sheet after another.

I wrote without stopping all night.

The calligraphy copybooks covered the entire house and the courtyard walls.

A righteous spirit surged like a mighty river, enveloping the entire Drunken Immortal Abode.

He is washing.

Wash away the demonic aura from Su Qing's body.

Wash away the prejudice in the eyes of the world.

He wanted all the gods and Buddhas in the heavens to see that the woman he, Gu Xiang, had married was the most innocent woman in the world.

The east was beginning to lighten with the first light of dawn.

The first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the roof of Zuixianju.

"Waaah—"

A loud suona horn sounded from the street corner.

Immediately afterwards, gongs and drums resounded, and firecrackers crackled.

The entire capital city awoke.

Su Qing sat in front of the mirror, looking at the woman in the phoenix coronet and wedding robes in the mirror, a smile curving her lips.

Finally, this day has come.

"Report—!"

A piercing roar suddenly shattered the festive atmosphere.

A messenger covered in blood, riding a swift horse, crashed through the wedding procession and headed straight for Zuixianju.

Those were disciples of the Mountain Moving Sect.

He tumbled off his horse, clutching a blood-written letter tightly in his hand, and knelt down in the direction of Gu Xiang.

"Prime Minister Gu! Help!"

"The land forsaken by God has collapsed!"

"Elder Tie... Elder Tie's death is unknown!"

The red silk in Gu Xiang's hand snapped with a crack.

【Partridge Sky - A Shocking Turn of Events at the Wedding】

Ten miles of red bridal procession illuminate the azure sky, phoenix coronet and embroidered robes, willow-like waists.

The scholar's pen exudes a noble spirit, washing away all evil influences and ascending to the highest heavens.

Amidst the clamor of gongs and drums and the proud hooves of horses, suddenly a blood-written summons from the frontier is heard.

The journey to the Central Plains is not far; a single sword, frosty and cold, will shatter the demonic tide.