Chapter 1062: Stopped Outside

By the time Niu Youdao finally set down his brush, dusk was approaching. Only then was the painting complete.

Looking over the whole piece afterward, it was clear he had spent both time and thought on it. None of those standing nearby could really be called connoisseurs. They only knew it looked beautiful.

"Elder, what suddenly put you in such an elegant mood?" Qin Guan could not help asking.

Niu Youdao took a sheet of paper and wiped his hands as he studied the painting. "It isn't an elegant mood. This is a wedding gift for the Master of Ice and Snow Pavilion."

A wedding gift?

Kunlin Shu looked somewhat surprised. He had not known about this.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie, however, immediately understood. They had nothing much on hand, and Xue Luo'er lacked nothing anyway. A gift carrying a good auspicious meaning was enough.

That said, the two could not help realizing that Elder Niu was remarkably versatile. Who would have expected him to suddenly reveal this kind of skill?

After inspecting the painting and deciding it was more or less acceptable, Niu Youdao instructed, "Take it away and have it carefully mounted."

"Yes!" Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie answered. The two walked to opposite sides of the painting and carefully began gathering it up.

...

Several days later, after calculating the wedding date, Niu Youdao went to Huang Ban one day in advance and once again submitted his travel plan.

Huang Ban sat behind a desk examining documents. Without even raising his head, he gave only two words.

"No."

Niu Youdao pulled a sheet of paper from his sleeve, snapped it open, and displayed the writing on it. "I've already reported the matter to the Sacred Venerable. This is the Sacred Land's written reply!"

At that, Huang Ban finally looked up.

There were only four words on the paper:

The Sacred Venerable has read and is informed.

Huang Ban's eyes left the paper and settled on Niu Youdao's face. A trace of gloom appeared in his gaze, but he said nothing further. He knew Niu Youdao would never dare forge a written response from a Sacred Land.

The flying mount was obtained.

After returning briefly to the courtyard where they were staying at the Demon Fox Bureau, Qin Guan emerged with an additional bamboo tube strapped to his back.

When the three men from Zijin Cave rose into the sky, Kunlin Shu lifted his head and watched them leave longingly. Only after their figures had vanished completely did he look back.

The empty courtyard had once again been reduced to him alone.

Since coming to Wentian City and joining Niu Youdao, he had certainly become safer, and he had very little to do. So little that the idleness had left him vaguely lost.

...

The sky was high and the clouds broad.

During a stop to rest along the way, Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie were once again abandoned by Niu Youdao. The two were used to it by now. They had no idea what Elder Niu had gone off to do this time.

When Niu Youdao returned, he was carrying an eagle cage containing two messenger Goldenwings.

He handed the cage to the two men and gave a simple instruction. "Take good care of them."

"Yes!" they answered.

They could not help exchanging another look.

Goldenwings were tightly controlled inside Sacred Realm. From what the two knew of Sacred Realm's geography, Misty Pavilion did not seem to have any outpost in this area. They had no idea where their Elder had obtained these birds.

That alone made them increasingly certain that every time Niu Youdao disappeared, it was anything but simple. Something had to be hidden behind it. Someone was secretly maintaining contact with their Elder.

...

Snow covered the world as far as the eye could see.

Not long after a range of snowy peaks appeared in the distance, two flying mounts rapidly approached. Several people in white rode upon them, dressed unmistakably in the garb of Ice and Snow Sacred Land.

Niu Youdao's party was forced to stop and circle in the air.

The newcomers surrounded them, crossing through the sky as one called out, "Who are you?"

Niu Youdao answered loudly, "Niu Youdao, Elder of Zijin Cave. I've come to congratulate the Master of Ice and Snow Pavilion on her joyous wedding!"

"Niu Youdao..."

The people on the two intercepting mounts seemed somewhat surprised. They leaned toward one another and murmured for a while.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie could see it now. Elder Niu's reputation was considerable. Wherever they went inside Sacred Realm, the moment he gave his name, it seemed everyone knew exactly who he was.

After the other side finished conferring, their leader called out, "Your good wishes are received. We'll pass them along. This isn't a place you should be. Please go back!"

His tone was still courteous and he used polite forms of address. Whatever else might be true, the newcomers had come as guests offering wedding congratulations.

Niu Youdao said, "I have a wedding gift for the Master of Ice and Snow Pavilion."

Their leader answered, "You may give the gift to us. We'll deliver it exactly as received. You can rest assured no one will pocket it, and we'll make certain the Pavilion Master knows your intentions."

Niu Youdao refused to give up. He pressed the point. "The Pavilion Master and I are friends. She is getting married, and I've traveled an immense distance to come here. By sentiment and propriety, I ought to congratulate her in person."

Friends?

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie were both startled.

Elder Niu and the Master of Ice and Snow Pavilion were friends? Was that actually true?

They were not the only ones surprised. The people blocking the way looked from one another in astonishment as well.

Niu Youdao immediately pressed his advantage. "The Pavilion Master is getting married. I ought to congratulate her face-to-face. If you refuse to let me do so, I don't know whether that's the Pavilion Master's own intention. If your wishes are the same as hers, then I have nothing to say and will naturally leave."

He did not believe that after he had openly claimed to be the Pavilion Master's friend, these people would still dare drive him away without first asking for instructions.

If they truly did, then it certainly would not be Xue Luo'er's own decision. What woman getting married would treat a well-intentioned visitor like this? He was hardly a malicious guest. Even a passing beggar might be kindly given a bowl of food.

Put another way, if they still refused, then Ice and Snow Sacred Land itself clearly did not take Xue Luo'er's marriage very seriously.

The interceptors whispered among themselves for a while. Their leader finally said, "Wait here. We'll report it."

At the same time, he gestured for Niu Youdao's side to descend.

Niu Youdao nodded at once and guided his flying mount to the ground.

The interceptors landed as well. Only one person mounted a bird and flew away, returning to Ice and Snow Sacred Land to report.

Standing amid the wind and snow, Niu Youdao watched him go.

Truthfully, he had no confidence at all that he would be allowed into Ice and Snow Sacred Land for the wedding. He naturally knew he could hardly be called Xue Luo'er's friend.

He was gambling.

It was still the same reasoning. This was a woman's first marriage, a moment of celebration. So long as a visitor came with good intentions rather than hostility, she should not reject someone who had traveled over to offer congratulations. And Niu Youdao did genuinely know Xue Luo'er.

In any event, he had to try his utmost. If they truly refused him entry, then he could only find some way to probe the situation from the outer perimeter.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie did not entirely understand.

Why was their Elder so determined to endure this arduous trip merely to offer wedding congratulations? For someone of Xue Luo'er's status, no matter how much he tried to ingratiate himself, she might never take him seriously. Why go to all this trouble just to press a warm face against a useless cold backside?

But their Elder could be unfathomable. Once he had made up his mind to do something, perhaps there was some other intention behind it. All they could do was cooperate.

...

Within a valley of Ice and Snow Sacred Land lay a place green with life.

It could not be called warm as spring, but it resembled a secluded paradise. At present, lanterns and festive decorations had been hung everywhere.

Many guests had already arrived.

And anyone qualified to come here was no ordinary person. Even the sect leaders of the cultivation world had no right to attend, which said enough about the status of those present.

Xue Luo'er might be the Master of Ice and Snow Pavilion in the outside world, but as Granny Xue's only granddaughter, she naturally had her own residence inside Ice and Snow Sacred Land.

At present, that residence served as both her bridal chamber before the wedding and the wedding chamber afterward.

There was no helping it.

Chuan Ying and Xue Luo'er were far too mismatched in family and status. Chuan Ying had neither people nor property here, not even a place of his own to stay. It was hardly realistic to take Xue Luo'er out of Sacred Realm across such an immense distance to Tiandi Sect in the State of Jin merely so they could consummate the marriage there.

Inside the carefully decorated bridal chamber, brilliant rosy light filled the room.

The radiance came from the Seven-Colored Treasure Pearls used as decorations.

Xue Luo'er, her face glowing with happiness, showed no sign of tiring. Again and again she changed clothes and compared them before the mirror, afraid of leaving even the slightest imperfection.

When she wore loose robes with broad sleeves, nothing was particularly noticeable. But whenever she undressed to change, the swelling of her belly was already quite obvious.

Naturally, attendants stood nearby to help her change.

Sha Huanli, City Lord of Star-Plucking City, was there as well. Equally excited, she offered opinion after opinion on Xue Luo'er's clothes.

"How does this one look?" Xue Luo'er asked, spreading her arms and turning in a circle to show off the new outfit.

"Beautiful. Truly beautiful!" Sha Huanli nodded repeatedly.

Inwardly, she was saying the same thing.

Beautiful indeed.

Yet every now and then, an unconscious trace of envy slipped into her eyes.

She had noticed that ever since Xue Luo'er began seeing Chuan Ying, her whole manner had changed. In the past Xue Luo'er had often visited her, but later there had been almost no contact at all. Naturally, she had been spending her time with her lover.

And the scene before Sha Huanli now was one she had imagined countless times.

Countless people assumed that with her identity and status, finding a man would be the easiest thing in the world. But who understood how difficult the reality behind that assumption truly was?

She had heard rumors that Daluo Sacred Land had once concerned itself with arranging her marriage, but apparently her father, Sha Rulai, had rejected every attempt.

Hearing that the outfit looked beautiful, Xue Luo'er immediately blossomed into a radiant smile.

Yet she was still not satisfied.

It was not really dissatisfaction. This was simply the one great occasion of her life, something that ought to happen only once. She wanted it to be better. More perfect.

Under ordinary circumstances she might have noticed the faint loss in her friend's eyes, but today she was simply too happy. Too happy to notice what her close friend beside her was feeling.

While Xue Luo'er was changing clothes yet again, a woman entered the bridal chamber.

After saluting, she reported, "Pavilion Master, someone has come outside the Sacred Land claiming to be your friend and offering congratulations. He was stopped outside..."

Before she could finish, Xue Luo'er's face darkened.

Her good mood vanished in an instant. She turned and said, "Why stop a guest who came to offer congratulations? Is that how we receive visitors here?"

The bride was unhappy.

The women chattering throughout the room immediately fell silent.

The newcomer hurriedly explained, "Pavilion Master, that isn't what happened. This person's identity is somewhat unusual. He's from outside Sacred Realm. He's an Elder of Zijin Cave, one of the three major sects of the State of Yan, and his name is Niu Youdao. The guards outside couldn't possibly allow someone to trespass into the Sacred Land at will. They only wanted to confirm whether this Niu Youdao truly is a friend of yours."

"Niu Youdao?" Xue Luo'er froze.

It was not that she had forgotten him. She certainly remembered Niu Youdao, especially given his current reputation in the outside world. She simply had never expected him to come offer wedding congratulations.

Now she understood why the guards outside had stopped him.

Given Niu Youdao's identity and status, he truly was not someone qualified to appear here.

"Niu Youdao?" Sha Huanli was equally surprised, then laughed. "When I first returned to Sacred Realm, I happened to meet him at the exit. Sister, do you still remember him? He's the man who once painted your portrait."

Xue Luo'er nodded. "Of course I remember. He painted yours too. It's just... isn't he currently inspecting Misty Pavilion? Why has he come here?"

Sha Huanli laughed. "Didn't he already say? He heard you're getting married and came to congratulate you. Maybe he wants to curry favor with you, too. Ha!"

Even she could not help laughing at the thought.

She genuinely believed that was probably why Niu Youdao had come.

Beyond that, she could not imagine any other reason.

Though she stood high above the cultivation world in status, her own world had always been simple. There were people who wanted her life to remain simple and did not want her drawn into too many grievances and struggles. She was only a mortal, after all. There were some things she simply could not bear.

The woman who had come to report carefully studied Xue Luo'er's expression and tentatively asked, "Pavilion Master, should we let him in?"

Xue Luo'er considered it for a moment.

They could hardly be called real friends, but in the end she murmured, "He came with good intentions to offer congratulations. Ice and Snow Sacred Land is not so small that we can't accommodate one more person, and nothing can happen to him here. Let him in."

[End of Chapter 1062]