"Daddy..."
In her dream, the little girl reached out, hoping her father would hold her.
In the study, her father, dressed in a deep green scholar's robe, put away the marriage certificate and then came out, handing it to the little girl. He dotingly ruffled her hair and smiled, "Xingchun, keep this safe."
"Okay."
The little girl clutched the marriage certificate with both hands, her large eyes blinking at her father. She saw her father stand up, tousle her braided pigtails, and gaze into the distance, saying gently, "My grandson Bai Gui's daughter will only marry the person she loves in this life. No one can force her to marry. Otherwise, I, Sun Bai Gui, will not rest even as a ghost..."
"Xingchun."
Her father turned, knelt before the little girl, touched her nose with his own, and smiled, "Daddy and Mommy are leaving now. You and your sister must take care of yourselves..."
With that, her father and mother turned and walked away, slowly disappearing into a blurry world.
"Daddy! Mommy!"
The little girl stretched out her hands, standing helplessly in the courtyard where apricot blossoms drifted down, crying loudly.
...
"Daddy... Mommy..."
Sun Xingchun in her dream suddenly cried out for her parents with a sob. The next moment, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she finally woke from the dream. She then realized it was just a dream. Thinking of her father and mother in the dream, as if they were real, Sun Xingchun's tears flowed uncontrollably. Although her grandfather had taken care of them these years, the sisters still missed their parents dearly.
Just then, Sun Xingchun suddenly noticed an object beside the bench she was lying on.
She hurriedly looked up and saw a red paper slip. Sun Xingchun's hands trembled as she slowly opened the slip. The ink was still wet. It was her father's handwriting. Over the years, Sun Bai Gui had left many calligraphic works, which Sun Xingchun and her sister had seen often, so they were naturally very familiar with their father's handwriting. The marriage certificate was signed by her father, Sun Bai Gui, and her mother, Lin Wanqiu. Their names were already written, and the date was the twelfth of the twelfth lunar month, which was today.
In an instant, Sun Xingchun's tears gushed out again. Did this mean that her father and mother had been watching over her and her sister all these years?
"Daddy... Mommy..."
She held the marriage certificate to her chest, her eyes blurry with tears. Her father did not want her to marry someone she didn't love, so he had left this marriage certificate. Sun Xingchun naturally understood his good intentions.
She suddenly stood up, her Nascent Soul realm spiritual energy erupting. In the next moment, several spells bombarded the barrier of the confinement cell, causing the entire house to hum. Soon, a servant walked over and said respectfully, "Eldest Miss, the family head intends to confine you here. We cannot help it. Please do not make things difficult for us servants."
"Call Second Uncle!"
Sun Xingchun's beautiful eyes were red. She said, "Ask him to come over. I have something important to discuss with him."
"This..."
The servant hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "I will relay your message, but I cannot guarantee if the family head will come."
"Just go," she said.
"Yes!"
Not long after, with the sound of footsteps, the family head Sun Tingxuan, dressed in luxurious clothing, appeared outside the confinement cell, with Su Zhe and a few managers beside him. Sun Tingxuan frowned and said gently, "Xingchun, stop being willful. This alliance marriage with the Lu family of Yunzhou is very important to our Medicine King Valley. As the daughter of your eldest brother, Sun Bai Gui, you should know the gravity of the situation."
"Second Uncle."
Sun Xingchun gritted her teeth and said, "What if my father did not want me to marry Young Master Lu? What then?"
"What?"
Sun Tingxuan almost thought he had misheard and couldn't help but laugh, "Eldest Brother has been dead for ten years, how could he possibly know about today's events?"
"Since that is the case, Second Uncle might as well take a look at this."
Sun Xingchun handed him the marriage certificate. The moment it was opened, Sun Tingxuan and Su Zhe both trembled. Their faces turned ashen. The handwriting was indeed Sun Bai Gui's, and the date was also today. Furthermore, the ink looked like it had dried not long ago. This was truly astounding. How could someone dead for ten years write today's marriage certificate?
Moreover, the name Sun Bai Gui was too thunderous for the entire Medicine King Valley. The previous family head, a Medicine Saint revered by the ancestral home of physicians, a cultivator of the Great Perfection realm, possessed the authority bestowed by heaven and earth. He had married Lin Wanqiu, a Sword Immortal of the Peak realm from the human mountains. They were a fairy-tale couple admired by all. In Medicine King Valley, Sun Bai Gui's name was like a royal decree, a supreme existence. Even his father Sun Qinghe's prestige was not as high as Sun Bai Gui's. If this marriage certificate were to spread, it would likely cause a stir throughout Medicine King Valley.
"Xingchun..."
Sun Tingxuan frowned, "Eldest Brother has been dead for ten years, stop playing tricks."
As he spoke, he raised his hand as if to tear up the marriage certificate.
"How dare you!"
Sun Xingchun's almond eyes widened, and she angrily said, "Sun Tingxuan, how dare you deface this marriage certificate personally written by Father? Are you not afraid of incurring the wrath of heaven and man? Are you not afraid of dying a horrible death?! Are you not afraid of my father's soul truly manifesting and damning you for eternity?!"
"..."
Sun Tingxuan frowned. The first two threats from Sun Xingchun didn't really bother him. Heaven's wrath, horrible death, these were just to scare the timid. What was his status as a transcendent being of the Upper Five Realms? But the last sentence truly startled Sun Tingxuan. He knew Sun Bai Gui's combat power. Although he was only a Great Perfection realm Medicine Saint, his conferred authority from heaven and earth was enough to hold back a True Dragon realm great demon. Coupled with his wife Lin Wanqiu's strength, if his soul could truly manifest, it would not be too difficult to kill an eleventh-realm individual like himself.
"Family head."
Su Zhe said with a solemn expression, transmitting his voice, "It is better to believe it exists than not. This marriage certificate is inherently strange. Perhaps Sun Bai Gui and his wife have not completely left the human world after all these years, with residual souls lingering in the mortal realm. We can return this marriage certificate to her for now. It doesn't matter. Sun Xingchun can continue to be confined until she agrees to marry. This way, even if Sun Bai Gui has a residual soul in the human world to cause trouble, it will not be a problem, as you are doing it for the sake of Medicine King Valley, and it is understandable."
"Mr. Su, your suggestion is excellent."
Sun Tingxuan took a deep breath and said, "Xingchun, stop having fanciful thoughts and playing such tricks. Stay here and reflect. If you change your mind, send someone to inform me, and I will naturally let you out."
With that, he waved his hand, and the marriage certificate floated back into the confinement cell.
...
Danxia Mountain, afternoon.
Xu Mingan had produced pills again. This time, he had produced eight Zhenyuan Pills, which was much better than last time. He took a deep breath, placed all the pills into the brocade pouch at his waist, and then started another furnace. However, the heat of this furnace was more vigorous. He was no longer refining Zhenyuan Pills but, according to the Danxia Manual, was refining the upgraded version, Guiyuan Pills.
Zhenyuan Pills were effective for breaking through for cultivators in the Lower Five Realms and Middle Five Realms. Once one reached the Upper Five Realms, or the watershed between the Star River Realm and the Upper Five Realms, the effect of Zhenyuan Pills became minimal. It was necessary to use Guiyuan Pills, which had stronger medicinal power.
"Xu Mingan."
At the entrance, Chi Zhongyu, dressed as a young nobleman, sat on a floating sword, narrowing his eyes and smiling lazily, "Can't your alchemy room be any more shabby? It's a thatched hut. I'm a bit worried. If even a spark ignites, it will probably burn down your alchemy room."
"Alas, I don't want to either," Xu Mingan said helplessly. "Do you know how expensive blue bricks and tiles are? And the bricklayers from those small towns are seventy to eighty miles away from Danxia Mountain. Very few are willing to come here to build a Taoist temple. All the money I have saved has been used to buy medicinal herbs for alchemy, so there's no spare money to build another alchemy room. I'll take it slow. We'll talk about it when Lin Zhao helps me make money selling pills."
"That's true."
The landlord, carrying over 2000 gold coins, showed no intention of being generous. This was also Chi Zhongyu's wisdom. Some things should not be overstepped if they are not meant to be. If one were to talk about spending money to build a Taoist temple, Lin Zhao, as the master of the Peak Villa, couldn't possibly be short of money? He didn't use his money to help Xu Mingan build a Taoist temple, so he himself shouldn't meddle too much. Thus, he grinned and said, "Then keep up the good work. What are you refining in this furnace?"
"Guiyuan Pills, used to help cultivators above the Star River Realm break through. They have some effect."
"Oh?"
Chi Zhongyu raised an eyebrow and smiled, "I am currently in the Star River Realm, only one step away from the Upper Five Realms, but I feel like I'm chasing a mirage. I feel like I'm right at the threshold of the Return to Origin Realm, but no matter how hard I cultivate, I can't reach it. If you happen to refine a few Guiyuan Pills, don't let the benefit go to outsiders..."
Xu Mingan couldn't help but chuckle, "Don't worry, Young Master Chi has protected my Taoist temple and Xiao Man and Xiao Han without asking for a single coin. I remember this kindness. Anyway, it doesn't cost much to refine these Guiyuan Pills. When they are actually refined, Young Master Chi can eat as much as he wants until he breaks through. I absolutely won't hesitate."
"Refreshing!"
Chi Zhongyu gave him a thumbs up, then narrowed his eyes and dozed off. Life on Danxia Mountain was truly comfortable and leisurely!
...
Medicine King Valley, confinement cell.
Sun Yunnuan frowned, standing outside the cell, looking at her sister inside, feeling helpless. She said softly, "Sister... what should we do? You're locked up inside... If it really comes to it, I'll have to substitute for you..."
"Stop it, Yunnuan!"
Sun Xingchun frowned, turned to a group of servants, and said, "I want to have a private word with Yunnuan. You all go out first."
"Yes, Eldest Miss!"
A group of servants walked towards the door.
Sun Xingchun gritted her teeth, handed over the marriage certificate, and said, "Take this first... Yunnuan, listen to me. Second Uncle is determined to make me marry Lu Shaoyan. Once I am married, he can legitimately inherit Medicine King Valley. But I would rather die than marry someone like Lu Shaoyan. Therefore, I have decided not to live anymore. Please help me send this marriage certificate via flying fish message to Master Qingqiu of Jubao Fang, and have him forward it to Lin Baiyi. This is my last wish."
"Ah?!"
Sun Yunnuan hastily opened the marriage certificate and clearly saw her father's handwriting. On the signature line for the groom, Sun Xingchun had already written her own name. The line for the groom's name was blank. As long as Lin Zhao wrote his name, this marriage contract would be formed. In fact, Sun Xingchun had decided to die, seeking only to preserve her reputation and for the comfort of her heart. The person she liked was in Xueyu Tianchi. Even if she died, she would belong to him.
"Be good..."
Sun Xingchun looked at her sister, tears streaming down her cheeks. She said softly, "Go, go send the flying fish message. From now on, live well."