The full moon hung high, its pale light blanketing the world in quiet silver.
Beneath it, Crouching Fish Village stirred with life.
Tonight was no ordinary night.
Laughter rose. Voices tangled. Cups clinked.
All of it focused within a single courtyard.
Red lanterns swayed gently in the night breeze, their glow soft and warm, like embers refusing to fade. A long crimson carpet split the courtyard in two, leading toward a raised stage where the ceremony would soon begin.
Tables groaned under the weight of food and wine. The rich scent of roasted meat drifted through the air, thick and intoxicating.
"I always knew they were meant to be together," an old man said, chest puffed with pride.
"Oh, shut up, Old Lao! Everyone knows you wanted Mei'ren for your youngest!" another elder retorted.
"Oh? I said that?" Old Lao scoffed. "Age must have dulled your ears, baldy. I never said such a thing."
The bald elder only sighed and waved him off.
Old Lao clicked his tongue, and then his expression softened.
"…I just wish old Jiu were here to see this."
"Ah…"
The bald elder paused. His gaze dimmed, mist gathering in his eyes.
"He would've been dancing by now," he murmured. "Boasting to anyone who would listen—'My son is marrying the most beautiful girl in the village!'"
Similar conversations echoed throughout the courtyard—some bright with joy, some tinged with melancholy.
Soon, the noise began to fade.
Cups stilled, laughter thinned. Conversations dissolved into silence.
Heads turned.
Music came from the doorway. Flutes sang and bells chimed. Beneath it all, the guqin whispered, weaving the music together with its deep tone. Sweeter than the call of a nightingale, every sound blended together perfectly.
The procession showed up.
At its head, walked the groom, steady and composed.
Behind him, the palanquin followed, borne upon the shoulders of close friends. On either side, young women moved in graceful steps, their instruments dancing under the control of their fingers, feeding the music that filled the courtyard.
The melody climbed higher and higher.
Then, it suddenly stopped.
Thump!
The palanquin settled upon the ground, the bearers fading into background. The groom stepped forward. He pulled a rope attached to the palanquin's frame.
The curtain of the palanquin parted.
Inside, sat the bride.
She was dressed in a phoenix-stitched wedding dress. A delicate veil draped over the lower half of her, hiding her expression, but her deep blue eyes shone with happiness.
She held the groom's outstretched hand, carefully stepping onto the ground.
Cheers erupted through the courtyard. Villagers clapped, kids ran wild with excitement, elders turned away hiding the moisture in their eyes.
Side by side, the couple walked through the crimson path.
Under countless gazes, they ascended the stage, where the local priest of the village stood awaiting.
Clang! Clang!
Clang!
The heavy bell tolled nine times, its echoes reaching the heavens.
The priest opened the scripture, to tie the young couple in the sacred union of marriage. He read the scripture word by word, following the proper rites.
"Bow to your parents," the priest called.
The couple bowed, tears gathering in their eyes.
"Bow to your ancestors"
They bowed again.
"Bow to Heaven and Earth."
For the third time, they bent their backs.
"As witnesses under the Heaven and the Earth, you will become husband and wi—"
A blinding light tore through the sky.
Everyone's eyes slammed shut. The ceremony was interrupted at its most important moment—an ill omen.
Then the light receded, returning the courtyard to jolly atmosphere, or it should have.
But, it didn't.
The wind stood still, lantern flames flickered heavily.
She was hovered in the sky, her long white hair fluttered, regardless of the lack of wind, as if she was the center of the world.
Her light blue eyes shone with a distant brilliance. She wore a white veil and classy robe draped over her body. Her icy presence demanded worship, like a goddess descended from the heavens.
"Oh ? What a rare talent..." her voice was soft, yet it reached everyone.
"Child, you are blessed by the heavens. Do you want to come to with me, to my sect? You will cultivate immortality and soar to the heavens."
The shocked villagers gasped, sucking in a breath of cold air. They knelt down.
"" Immortal Goddess!""
""We pay our respects to the Immortal""
The fairy in floating didn't spare them a single glance, to her they didn't matter. She continued to stare at the girl in the wedding dress.
"Y—y—you m—mean me?" Bing Mie'ren, pointed her fingers toward herself.
"Yes, my child, I'm talking to you." The woman answered, her cold ethereal voice ringing throughout the yard.
"I—if I sat yes, W—will I have to follow you?" Bing Mie'ren asked, lips pursed.
"Yes, child. The Qi here is very poor, not suitable to cultivate. My sect can provide you with resources that one can only even dream of." Shredding her icy tone, she patiently explained to the girl.
"You are a once in a millennium genius. And, your fate... it represents greatness these mortals can never grasp." Her voice was calm, but her breathing grew faster, and her eyes shone in greed.
Bing Mei'ren froze, confusion flickering in her eyes.
"I—I will not to follow you." She mustered the courage to speak, her voice full of conviction.
"I love my husband very much."
"If becoming an immortal means leaving him... then I don't want such immortality," Bing Mie'ren answered without stuttering, her voice now strong and confident.
Upon hearing the girl mention her beloved, the fairy finally glanced at the man standing beside her future disciple.
She studied him.
"Child... this boy is not without potential. He can cultivate."
Under her veil, a bright smile dawned on Bing Mei'ren's face.
"But—he is destined to be mediocre." The fairy paused. "You are fated to leave him in the dust."
The smile that had crept its way onto Bing Mei'ren's face vanished. The words she heard had shattered her hopes.
"With your talent it's a miracle that no one has noticed you yet. If people with bad intentions find out—" The fairy didn't complete her sentence, but those hearing knew her meaning.
She stared at the man.
"Can you protect her from the other cultivators? Can you provide for her cultivation needs? Even if she refuses to cultivate, someone will definitely notice her talent and take her away from you.
"Tell me, boy," her voice became sharper and colder. "Can you protect her?"