The reborn Fu Hua Immortal Lord remained as gentle as ever, but before long, he seemed to become an entirely different person. Though he had promised to marry the Jade Rabbit, he did not love her.
Just moments ago, the strange demonic energy within Fu Hua had flared up again. Bandits had robbed the procession on the street, and after she was abducted, Fu Hua had vanished.
The Jade Rabbit had known all along that he was not Fu Hua; his body had long been possessed by a demon, who intended to keep her alive to feed on her heart’s blood daily, taking it when the time was right.
Ever since Fu Hua was possessed by the demon, she had to cut her wrist to bleed every day. He was like a vampire, craving only the blood in her body, wishing to drain her dry.
She had tried to resist, but this demon’s power was too immense; she was no match for him. If she refused, death was the only outcome.
With tear-filled eyes, her wedding gown trailing on the floor, the Jade Rabbit knelt before the Divine Maiden, weeping so pitifully that it stirred compassion in all who saw her: "Divine Maiden, I do not wish to marry him. I do not want to die. I am still waiting for the true Fu Hua, for his reincarnation. Please, help me."
The Divine Maiden Tu Yao's abilities were evident to all. Relying on their slight acquaintance, the Jade Rabbit could only desperately cling to this last hope.
Ye Ziling’s gaze was dark. The hem of her skirt was clutched tightly by the Jade Rabbit. She gently crouched down, helping the Jade Rabbit up. Her voice remained as cold as ice, her delicate eyebrows furrowed: "You're saying that Fu Hua's body is now inhabited by a demon?"
A flash of bloodthirsty light flickered in Ye Ziling's eyes, her smile gradually turning sinister.
She raised her hand to wipe away the Jade Rabbit's tears, gazing at her vibrant wedding dress. A faint glint appeared in her eyes. "Take off the wedding dress."
A great demon?
Wouldn't the demon core be a great tonic?
Heavenly soldiers searched the streets for several rounds but found no sign of the demon. People hiding in the shadows peeked out, bracing themselves as they scanned the street, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
It was supposed to be a festive Mid-Autumn Festival, and no one knew who spread the false rumor. What a dampener!
With their worries dismissed, the street returned to its lively state. The blare of the suona horns announced the procession, cheerfully sending the bride towards the Li mansion.
The strong men carrying the sedan chair smiled. The bride looked delicate and small, but quite brave. She wasn't scared off even by a demon. Truly a celestial being married from the Moon Palace, her courage was indeed remarkable.
"Hey, where did the second young master go? He was on his horse just a moment ago."
"Who knows? The street was chaotic earlier. He probably left ahead!"
The two sedan bearers chatted as they carried the palanquin, inadvertently falling into idle conversation.
"On his wedding day, the groom abandoning the bride and running away... this... what sort of propriety is this?"
"You wouldn't know this..." The sedan bearer glanced cautiously at the wedding sedan. Seeing no reaction from the person inside, he assumed she couldn't hear and whispered, "I heard that Young Master Li died a few days ago. This Young Master Li who is marrying is a demon! However, the old madam couldn't accept this fact and ordered the entire mansion to seal the news..."
...
Meanwhile, Ling Xi was chasing a wisp of demonic energy. After only a few steps, the energy dissipated at an alleyway, vanishing without a trace.
[System: Lord Ling, the demonic energy is gone again.]
"Keep sniffing." Ling Xi paced back and forth at the alley entrance, his black robes billowing in the night wind. His eyes scanned the surroundings like a sharp-eyed night hawk.
Strange, it clearly ran in this direction just now. How could it disappear so quickly?
[System: Lord Ling, there's someone at the alley entrance!]
Following the system's words, Ling Xi glanced over and saw Li Fu Hua dressed in a wedding gown. He was now lifeless, leaning against the wall, appearing completely incapacitated.
He strode forward in three steps, flicking his robe as he crouched down to stare at Li Fu Hua's lifeless face, raising an eyebrow: "He's dead."
A nauseating, foul odor permeated the surroundings. Ling Xi frowned slightly, holding his breath and concentrating.
Li Fu Hua's body had already begun to rot. It was estimated that he had been dead for several days. Yet, the onlookers on the street had clearly seen Li Fu Hua smiling and sitting on his horse to receive the bride earlier. How could he have been dead for so long?
Furthermore, the direction Li Fu Hua had disappeared from carried a strong demonic aura, yet now there was only the smell of decay? There was definitely something strange going on.
[System: Lord Ling, the wedding procession has continued towards the Li mansion!]
Ling Xi's brow furrowed, his eyes chilling slightly. He asked with confusion, "The Li mansion?"
Isn't that where the top aristocratic families of the capital reside?
"Li Fu Hua is getting married today?" Ling Xi pressed his brow, feeling a bit of a headache. "How could I not know about such a significant event as the capital's second young master getting married?"
[System: Lord Ling, never mind them. You have a new mission.]
"What mission?"
[System: Go and investigate this thoroughly!]
Ling Xi gave a wry, self-mocking smile, his gaze as cold as frost. "How do I investigate? Do I go spoil their wedding celebration?"
[System: This mission is very important. If you fail, you might be sent back to the day you were abused by the scoundrels.]
Ling Xi's eyes flashed with a sharp light, revealing a cold smile that held no trace of amusement. The system only saw the murderous intent in his eyes.
"?"
[System: Lord Ling... this, you figure it out yourself.]
Every mission was related to the scoundrels. Ling Xi paused, his clenched fist unconsciously loosening. A slight smile curved his lips. "Are you saying the scoundrels are also at the Li mansion?"
[System: The secrets of heaven cannot be revealed.]
Ling Xi curled his lips, a faint smile gracing his eyebrows. It seemed his gamble this time was definitely correct; the scoundrels must be at the Li mansion.
Hua Jiao stopped at the entrance of the Li mansion. The bride was helped into the manor by the matchmaker.
Ye Ziling was supported by two maids as she entered the manor, escorted all the way to the main hall. The Li family members had been waiting at the entrance for a long time, but Li Fu Hua had not appeared.
After a while, a horse galloped in, kicking up dust, until it stopped abruptly at the mansion. The horse reared up high, its hooves pounding heavily back onto the ground.
On the horse, a man in wedding attire with handsome features dismounted. The old madam and several maids finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Old Madam, look, the young master is back!"
The people gathered outside the entrance beamed with joy. The old madam wore a rare smile, having feared something had happened to her son on the way. It seemed she had worried unnecessarily.
After the maids beside Ye Ziling were dismissed, a slender, warm palm took her hand. A deep, slightly magnetic voice sounded in her ear: "You've waited long."
The bride gently shook her head.
His palm was warm and gentle, holding hers all the way.
Ye Ziling found the touch somehow familiar. Strangely, her current body did not reject him. She couldn't figure out why.
Without time to ponder further, she was led into the hall by Li Fu Hua.
As he held her hand all the way, Ye Ziling didn't detect any demonic energy from the groom beside her. It was said that the more powerful the demon, the better it could conceal its demonic aura. It seemed the demon beside her was not to be underestimated.
Upon reaching the hall, Ye Ziling noticed a deathly chill pervading the surroundings, cold and eerie.
This was no wedding celebration; it was more like a funeral.
The sounds of footsteps grew slower. Those who had come to receive the bride seemed to have been blocked at the door. Then, two maids stepped forward to support her. Their cold hands, like ice, clasped her arms. A chill emanated through the wedding robe, the touch no different from a frozen corpse.
Even more chilling, as she looked down at the ground, she noticed that the shoes worn by the two maids were embroidered with chrysanthemums on white cloth.
White was an extreme taboo for those getting married. As a prominent family, the Li mansion surely wouldn't be ignorant of such etiquette.
Unbeknownst to Ye Ziling, once inside the hall, apart from her and the groom, everyone else was clad in white. Even the "喜" (xi - joy/happiness) characters hanging on the plaque were white.
"Bow to each other as husband and wife!"
At the final shout, the two bowed to each other.
The maids present had lifeless eyes, their expressions perpetually dull. When they spoke, a puff of black mist escaped their mouths, like wooden puppets under someone's control, utterly bizarre.