Ao Chi - Part 13

I stood here blankly, watching the other "me" being gently held by the man who had been by my side for thousands of years as they walked out slowly.  

The white wedding dress was simple and chic without any elaborate decorations. The only extravagance was the delicate diamond-encrusted belly chain at the waist, which perfectly brought out a dazzling but modest nobility. The graceful woman in the wedding dress shyly approached the man beside her, falling a half-step behind him, a stance of completely yielding to his guidance. Her behavior convinced people that, even if there was a bottomless precipice ahead, as long as this man held her hand, she would jump off without any hesitation.

Because of trust, because of dependence.

Such feelings cannot be feigned.

But that woman is Mu! Is she so advanced that she can "cultivate both internally and externally," even faking her emotions?

Or... did something really happen between her and Ao Chi that I am not aware of?

Regarding this point, I am doubtful yet feel a prickling pain as if needles are stabbing my heart.

He is tall and strong as ever, with broad shoulders that always bring to mind the sturdiest of mountains. He still has the habit of raising his head slightly, his gaze forever fixed at a higher point than others. He never covers up his power and haughtiness. His face, which I have always suspected to be the work of the gods, retains its handsome and refined features, untouched by time, devoid of any signs of hardships, let alone the vicissitudes of life.

The only thing that has changed is the heat.

Standing so far away from him, I still keenly sense that he has lost the heat he once had.

Yes, the evil dragon in my memories is the second sun in my world. Although this metaphor is not elegant enough, I find it the most fitting. His being truly possesses all the elements of the blazing sun in the sky – intense heat, brightness, and even fierceness.

Heat is Ao Chi's unique mark.

In the years we spent together day and night, I didn't even need to open my eyes to know that he was approaching me from the "heatwave" that assaulted my senses. But in truth, no one else except me noticed it.

In the past, I didn't understand. I simply thought I hated this guy so much that my body had an "allergic" reaction.

I realized later that this is called tacit understanding.

The man I lost for twenty years is now right in front of me, holding another woman's hand.

They stand side by side, exchanging deep glances and blooming smiles at each other.

He addressed the guests, welcoming everyone to witness the most important moment of their lives. He was confident, elegant, and courteous, displaying emotions with practiced skill, as if rehearsed countless times, only waiting for a flawless performance before the public.

I refuse to acknowledge that the man is him. I'm terrified he'll pledge undying love to someone else.

Me, the millennia-old tree demon, self-proclaimed extraordinary, who believes that after going through ups and downs, she can calmly observe the world, and considers love, hate, joy, and sorrow as nothing more than smoke and dust that vanish in a flash – a mundane pastime of ordinary people.

However, seeing Ao Chi holding someone else's hand, I finally understood that the "self-confidence" I had built over the years was nothing but a self-deceptive trick.

In the end, I am still a "vulgar" woman whose reason is fettered by emotions, no different from anyone else.

A sparkling ring is held in his slender fingers.

"I've been waiting for you to wear this ring for countless centuries."

I hear his slightly hoarse voice. I see Mu, the woman pretending to be me, shyly extending her finger.

Can you really not tell that the woman in front of you is not at all the Shaluo you want!

The applause from the guests became even more enthusiastic, cheers drowning out everything. Even Fatty and Skinny rushed to the stage front to make fun of them foolishly.

Clank!

The diamond ring in Ao Chi's hand that he was about to put on the "bride's" finger was knocked to the ground by a gleaming silver spoon. It rolled off the stage and disappeared without a trace.

The whole venue fell silent for a moment, then erupted in uproar. Everyone turned around to see who was so bent on spoiling the fun that they actually used a spoon as a hidden weapon to ruin the ongoing beautiful event.

There was a time when I was obsessed with playing darts and even got carried away by a whim to participate in the World Grand Prix, ranking in the top three. And my performance had nothing to do with magical powers. I respect sportsmanship, and had to be fair and true. Although I haven't played in a long time and my skills have declined, knocking a ring off with a spoon isn't difficult.

I have no intention of playing games like "Who can stay calm the longest" with anyone anymore. The situation has already reached a critical point, and all the riddles are about to be revealed. If one party must throw down the gauntlet first, fine, I'll do it.

In the face of this series of bitter experiences and unforeseen events, my patience had reached its limit.

With a shining dinner knife deftly spinning in my hand, I lifted my head, and met the searching and then puzzled gazes of the crowd, stating with a smiling expression, "Yes, it was me."

They began to buzz with discussions, and there was obvious anger in many people's eyes.

"Who is this crazy woman?"

"What a weirdo, ruining someone's wedding!"

"Such a nuisance! Obviously everything is fine!"

I walked calmly towards the stage, and people automatically moved back to both sides as if avoiding a plague.

"Who are you?" Ao Chi pulled his bride behind him and asked me with a frown.

I thought he would say, "Are you looking for death?" and then jump down to beat me senseless; that would be more like him.

"Why don't you beat me half to death first and then torture me for answers. This is not like you at all," I raised my chin and asked him with a smile, "Does marriage really make people mature? Even you, Ao Chi, can't escape it?"

"Who are you?" He took a step forward, looking at me condescendingly.

"Be careful..." That "Shaluo" thoughtfully grabbed his arm, looking at me, "this woman's identity is unknown. She's not on my guest list."

Ao Chi patted her hand, then turned to me and said, "Today is my wedding, and I don't want to fight anyone. You'd better leave before I get angry. Men, escort this guest out!"

Two cheongsam-clad girls and two waiters immediately floated over. The four of them surrounded me with stiff smiles on their faces, reaching towards me.

"Wait!" he suddenly stopped them.

I felt a jolt of surprise.

He walked down from the stage and stopped in front of me. He unexpectedly grabbed my left hand, but his gaze held only unfamiliarity and disdain.

I didn't get the pleasant surprise I was hoping for.

"Why are you wearing this?" He rudely took the golden dragon pattern amulet off my wrist. I had instantly become a despicable thief in his eyes. He roughly shook off my hand, walked back to his bride, and chided, "You're so forgetful. I told you this thing is important!"

He personally fastened the amulet for her.

However, as soon as it was fastened, the amulet fell off her hand. The clasp showed no signs of loosening; the entire amulet was like intangible air, passing through her wrist without any hesitation.

He thought he hadn't fastened it properly, so he tried again and again, but the amulet kept dropping. His bride just couldn't wear it.

It has been a long time since I last shed tears. I can't explain why, but when I saw this scene, the sorrow in my heart became insuppressible and turned into hot liquid, quivering in my eyes.

Ao Chi, oh Ao Chi, how come you're not even as good as this amulet? Even it knows who the true owner is, yet you let me be toyed with by others.

"She can't wear the golden dragon-pattern amulet." I forced back my tears, refusing to let them fall in front of the enemy. "Because she simply..."

"Shut up! You crazy woman, you must have tampered with the amulet!" He rudely interrupted me and ordered his subordinates, "Throw her out!"

The cheongsam-clad girls and the waiters swarmed me, and two of them with sharp nails even directly aimed for my face. Though this isn't my real body, such an offense is intolerable.

With a few crisp sounds, everyone attempting to capture me found their whole palms falling to the ground.

Anger can undoubtedly significantly boost the energy index, and the dinner knife in my hand is the best proof. It swept through like a hurricane, severing all the claws reaching towards me.

Don't accuse me of being impulsive and cruel just because I easily cut off others' hands. What I chopped weren't humans. On falling to the ground, those severed limbs turned into black grains of sand in the blink of an eye, scattered chaotically on the white floor, then all of it seeped into the tiny gaps between the floorboards, like defeated soldiers fleeing for their lives. The four guys looked at their bare wrists and quickly lunged at me again.

I punched the chest of a waiter, and landed a backward kick on the head of a cheongsam girl. As a result, the waiter's chest showed a large hole, and the girl's head flew several meters away, leaving the rest of their bodies collapsed into a pile of black sand. The fates of the other two guys were no different – they were ripped to pieces by Jiu Jue who had watched the excitement for a long time.

Ao Chi seemed unaware that I would take action. His bride let out a low cry of panic.

A fake is a fake. Even if you have my body and my cultivation, you'll never learn my magnanimity and the courage I was born with in my bones.

I won the first round.

The guests let out terrified screams, with some even shouting, "Monsters! There are monsters!"

However, their fingers were not pointing at the guys whose bodies had turned into sand, but at me and Jiu Jue.

People knocked over tables and chairs as they scrambled away, and the dining tables were overturned, upending the food and drinks on the floor. My appearance had completely ruined the wedding.

Ao Chi looked furious and shouted, "Seize these two!"

A large group of cheongsam girls and waiter men appeared like ghosts. I couldn't even see where so many guys popped up from. Of course, Jiu Jue acted even faster. He swiftly pulled me behind him, gestured with both hands, silently recited an incantation, and shouted softly, "Disperse!"

A powerful wind containing the unique fragrance of fine wine whooshed out from his palms, sweeping towards the enemies with a beastly roar. None of Ao Chi's underlings were spared. The entire hall was covered in black sand in no time, unbearably dirty.

Jiu Jue heaved a sigh and winked at me, "Mass deletion like this can only be left to me now."

"Good!" I gave him a rare thumbs up, but accidentally saw a slightly strange expression on his face. I asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he shook his head. "Maybe I went a bit overboard just now, and now I'm a bit dizzy. It's been ages since I got into a brawl, you know."

"Umm..." I suddenly asked, "Is he really Ao Chi?"

I couldn't rely solely on intuition; I needed confirmation from facts.

"The 'kingly aura' emanating from him is indeed unique to the East China Sea Dragon Clan," Jiu Jue frowned slightly. "It's just that this 'kingly aura' seems to be... 'dead.'"

"Presumptuous!"

With an intimidating roar, Ao Chi leaped into the air. His powerful fist smashed from above, aimed at Jiu Jue's crown (of the head).

I never imagined a day when Ao Chi and Jiu Jue would exchange blows. The two men grappled, their moves fueled by different spiritual powers colliding fiercely in the empty space. Because of their battle, large holes and cracks appeared one after another on the guiltless ground and walls.

But I could see that Jiu Jue attacked less and defended more, while Ao Chi sought to end Jiu Jue's life with every move.

"Uh-oh! Hey, beautiful lady Mu, what are you doing here causing trouble?" Fatty and Skinny, seeing that the situation was bad, pulled me aside with a look of panic. "Look! Such a nice wedding, and now it's a mess. That's our boss after all; can you please give her some face and settle the score after she's married?"

I really couldn't stand these two idiots! I punched the chattering Skinny in the face and scolded, "You guys don't know shit! She better stop fantasizing about this marriage!"

"Are all beautiful people so bad-tempered?" Fatty mumbled and huddled behind Skinny, frightened by my momentum.

Jiu Jue gradually fell behind, his movements becoming slower and slower. Each move became increasingly difficult to deal with, and in a failed attempt to evade, he was struck by Ao Chi's fist on the left rib. He slammed into the intricately carved marble pillar behind him, knocking out a large chunk from the thick and solid stone, sending debris flying and making it totter.

Jiu Jue's face turned pale, and he coughed violently, lacking the strength even to stand. This was the one and only time I saw Jiu Jue cut a sorry figure in his life.

But something wasn't right. Jiu Jue's cultivation surpassed mine, and even if his opponent is a East China Sea Dragon Clan member, he is not necessarily inferior. It's impossible for him to be defeated so quickly.

As Jiu Jue fell to the ground, Ao Chi's eyes glinted with murderous intent. He instantly moved to Jiu Jue, a dagger with an eerie cold light appearing in his hand at some point, which he thrust straight at Jiu Jue's throat.

At the critical moment, Jiu Jue moved his body to the side, and the dagger plunged into the ground, nearly half-buried.

"Stop!"

Before Ao Chi could pull out the dagger, I was like a ferocious little beast and simply used this slender body to knock him off balance, causing him to slip and fall to the ground.

"Are you crazy? That's Jiu Jue!" I rushed up to him before he could get up, desperately throwing myself on top of him, using my elbow to press against his neck. Through gritted teeth, I said, "Open your eyes and see clearly! Ao Chi, what kind of black magic have you fallen under?"

"I'll count to three, get out of the way. I don't raise my hand to women." He looked at me coldly, "But if you continue to mess around, I'll annihilate you."

"You are going too far!" The bride, who had been silent on the stage until now, finally spoke, looking like a victim.

I saw a distorted expression on "my" face – not anger, not concern, but the satisfaction of accomplishing a long-simmering "great cause."

She stood alone on the stage, carefully and gracefully straightening out her slightly disheveled skirt. The snow-white color on her wedding gown outlined isolated pride, aloofness, and yearning in the flickering lights. Under her feet was no longer a floor strewn with petals but the rough and warm soil at the foot of Mount Fulong in my memory. Like in the past, she stood alone in the middle. No matter how many people were around her, she was still that lonely little locust tree that longed to become someone else.

If she truly is a bride, she's not radiant enough, no matter how happy she smiles.

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