"Father, Hantao is not what it used to be. Do we really still have to obey the city lord's call?" Fu Shanqing had never met Hantao. During the war between immortals and demons, he was only placed in the rear as a new force. Most of his descriptions of the city lord's deeds came from other people.
Of course, none of those rumors were as shocking as the fact that he was later seriously injured and unable to maintain his human form.
Just two days ago, the Dragon Clan suddenly sent someone over, saying that the Dragon Clan priest had divined and found that a man in the Fu family matched the divination, and that he needed to enter the mansion tonight on the night of the full moon to bring good luck and help the city lord Han Tao wake up.
As for the candidate, although the divination results were unclear, the priest believed that the one with the best celestial qualities from the Fu family was the most suitable.
Although no name was mentioned, the Fu family members present instinctively assumed it was Fu Shanqing. Some felt sorry for him, while others watched the spectacle, which infuriated Fu Shoude on the spot.
"I've long heard that the Dragon Clan doesn't discriminate between meat and vegetables, but for a man like me to go..." Fu Shanqing's face flashed with disgust. "Father, the Immortal Sect will be coming to take me into the sect tomorrow. That Muscle Rot Pill is my life-saving pill after I join the Immortal Sect."
"Even when the people from the Immortal Sect arrive, they won't dare!"
He didn't want to join the city lord's mansion, but he also didn't want to hand over the Muscle Rot Pill to someone else.
Fu Shoude understood his meaning. While worrying about Fu Luwei's possible alienation, he rubbed his temples and said in a heavy tone, "Tonight is the night of the full moon. You also said that the people from the Immortal Sect will not arrive until tomorrow. You know the nature of the Dragon Clan. This Yunhan City is still their territory. If we refuse outright, let alone tomorrow, we don't even know if we can get through tonight safely!"
What he didn't say was that Han Tao was injured in the war between immortals and demons. If no one from the Fu family enters the city lord's mansion tonight, wouldn't that put the Fu family in an unjust position? At that time, it's possible that the immortal sect will come to the Fu family again.
Fu Shoude glanced at his son's increasingly robust aura, gritted his teeth, and said, "Listen to your father, let Fu Mingxu enter the city lord's mansion tonight."
For now, this is the best solution for them. Fu Shanqing frowned. Ultimately, his future was more important. Thinking that he would find better elixirs at the Immortal Sect, he managed to suppress his reluctance to part with the Muscle Corrosion Pill.
"I just heard that Second Uncle also wants the Muscle Rot Pill," he said uncertainly. "After all, Haoren..."
Fu Shoude was not surprised that he knew about this. Upon hearing this, his expression turned displeased, and his tone was disdainful: "Him? He is just a low-grade immortal, and he easily listens to the instigation of others, and actually went to make a move against Fu Mingxu. I never intended to use that Muscle Corrosion Pill on him in the first place."
Fu Shanqing's eyes flickered, and his handsome face was full of smiles: "Father is right."
"You don't need to worry about these things. Just rest well tonight and conserve your energy. When the Immortal Sect arrives tomorrow, you can go with them." Fu Shoude thought for a moment and then specially instructed, "When the Dragon Clan comes to fetch the bride later, don't come out. Your father will take care of everything."
"Okay." Fu Shanqing was completely relieved, and the thought of going to see Fu Mingxu "waiting to be married" disappeared. She left with peace of mind.
Fu Shoude watched his retreating figure, then rubbed his temples, looking like he had a headache. After standing there for a while, he walked away with a serious expression.
Although he spoke lightly to his son, the dragons are known for their pride and wouldn't be so easily appeased. Fortunately, he had the Muscle Corrosion Pill, which should help the city lord's injuries to some extent. He figured the other party probably didn't care who the real person entering the manor was.
He recalled the Heart-Questioning Stone from the dragon clan's grand wedding and couldn't help but sigh. After all the calculations, he hadn't expected that the Muscle-Corrosion Pill would still slip away.
Unbeknownst to him, after he left, Fu Luwei emerged from the rockery beside him with a face full of resentment, his eyes filled with unconcealed anger and astonishment, followed by deep resentment.
It turned out that Fu Shoude had no intention of giving him the Muscle Corrosion Pill at all! If he hadn't felt uneasy after the other party left the front hall and hadn't been so determined to ask for the pill again, he would never have imagined that his own elder brother and his son had such a plan!
You, Fu Shoude! You'd do this for your own son! So why can't I do it for my own son?
Fu Luwei did not chase after him to ask any questions, but instead turned around and left the Fu family, running towards the City Lord's Mansion!
He would tell the Dragon Clan that Fu Shoude had secretly switched the bride with Fu Mingxu! Then, let this patriarch bear the wrath of the Dragon Clan himself!
...
The city of Yunhan was bustling with activity, the sound of gongs and drums filling the air. The music was magnificent and resounding, echoing from the city lord's mansion all the way to the Fu family residence.
A welcoming procession, primarily decorated in red and gold, arrived in a grand procession, attracting many people to line the streets to watch.
The palanquin, made of red jade, was steadily pulled by four dragon beasts that were breathing heavily. Golden ribbons hung down from the eaves of the palanquin, reflecting a dazzling light from the still-slanting sunlight.
The dragon race has a great fondness for rare and precious materials, but even a piece of immortal jade casually picked off this palanquin is enough for outsiders to fight tooth and nail for.
Standing outside the Fu family's gate, Fu Shoude could hear the commotion from afar. His gaze couldn't help but linger on the proud dragon beast and sedan chair, and he even had the illusion that it wouldn't be bad to bring his own son into the mansion.
The hour of You (5-7 PM) is the best time for weddings and welcoming guests.
The leading dragon was none other than Han Zhengzhi, the city lord's guard. His voice was deep and resonant: "It is time for the bride to get into the sedan chair."
Some of the onlookers at the Fu family's gate stopped their chatter upon hearing this and looked at Fu Shoude with curiosity.
"I heard that the one who married the city lord this time is the only son of the family head?" someone muttered.
The faint sound was clearly audible in the silence after the wedding procession stopped, startling Fu Shoude from his daze. He glanced nervously at Han Zhengzhi, the city lord's left-hand man.
Unfortunately, Han Zhengzhi's expression remained solemn, as if he hadn't heard, and he said in a deep voice, "Please, newlyweds, get into the sedan chair!"
Knowing the inside story, the faces of the Fu family members standing behind Fu Shoude all changed. Only Fu Luwei glanced at the crowd below, but those who had spoken earlier had already fallen silent. In this dense crowd, it was impossible to tell who had spoken.
"Please wait a few moments." Fu Shoude, suppressing the tingling sensation on his scalp, took two steps forward and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Fu Mingxu has long admired the City Lord and has offered the Muscle Corrosion Pill as a gift, voluntarily entering the City Lord's Mansion."
As soon as he finished speaking, he clearly felt Han Lei's breathing change for a few moments.
He was gambling that the dragon clan had initially wanted his family's Muscle Rot Pill.
Although only two breaths had passed, fine beads of sweat had already appeared on Fu Shoude's forehead. He lowered his head slightly, suppressing the agitation in his heart and forcing himself to calm down.
Han Zhengzhi's gaze swept over him several times as if it were a tangible object, then he suddenly smiled, nearly scaring him half to death.
"Fine." He didn't allow Fu Shoude to say anything more, his voice like iron nails piercing wood, "From this moment on, Fu Mingxu has no further connection with the Fu family."
Fu Shoude was startled, but quickly realized what he meant and was overjoyed: "Yes! From now on, everything he does has nothing to do with my Fu family!"
Just as the two finished speaking, it was already late afternoon, and a servant opened the main gate at the master's signal.
The crowd, with all sorts of thoughts, turned their gazes toward the person who had come out, but instinctively fell silent upon seeing who it was.
The man, dressed in a bright red, wide-sleeved wedding robe, walked out of the door. His eyebrows were as vast as distant mountains, and his black hair was casually tied with a red ribbon, falling lazily behind him. As he walked, the hem of his robe fluttered, and the red and black colors appeared and disappeared, making him look like a banished immortal.
Yet the dark red sash accentuated her slender waist, like a rope binding a celestial being, pulling her down from the heavens, adding a touch of captivating beauty to her radiant figure.
Han Zhengzhi felt his breath catch for a moment, and after realizing what was happening, he subconsciously turned his head away.
Beauty can be deadly, and the onlookers realized this with absolute clarity.
"The main character has appeared; it's time to set off." Han Zhengzhi said solemnly, "Please."
Fu Haoren's eyes widened, while only Fu Luwei felt a deep sense of doubt after seeing the reaction on Han Zhengzhi's face.
He clearly remembered how the dragon's expression changed drastically when he told the dragon himself. But Han Zhengzhi's actions now were completely different from what he had expected, which left him utterly perplexed.
Even so, Fu Luwei knew that now was not the time to ask questions.
Fu Mingxu frowned slightly as he looked at the impressive welcoming procession, feeling a little surprised.
Could it be that his memory is faulty? How come he didn't see such a grand wedding procession in his previous life?
Although Fu Mingxu was deeply confused, he remained calm and composed on the surface. He boarded the sedan chair without looking back, leaving them only with his back to them.
Having met the person, Han Zhengzhi naturally saw no need to linger. He didn't give them a second glance or say a word; with a wave of his hand, the music that had just stopped resumed.
Fu Shoude's words were drowned out by the music, leaving him standing there awkwardly. The other members of the Fu family exchanged bewildered glances.
"Let's go back." As the welcoming party gradually disappeared from sight, Fu Shoude reminded everyone, "The Immortal Sect will arrive tomorrow, so everyone should make preparations in advance."
They all have the opportunity to participate in the once-every-fifty-years selection of disciples by the Immortal Sect.
This realization immediately dispelled the shock he had just felt. Fu Luwei's expression shifted, and he eventually followed the others inside.
The wedding procession continued with music all the way until it entered the city lord's mansion, after which the onlookers discussed the wedding.
However, none of these were things Fu Mingxu needed to worry about. Before he could even wonder why he hadn't crossed the Heart-Questioning Stone, he had already been shoved into the City Lord's bedroom in the City Lord's Mansion.
A note from the author:
Here it comes!
Chapter 3
The music had long since stopped; the grandeur of the wedding procession and the desolation within the city lord's mansion were like two different worlds.
"The rest is up to you." Han Zhengzhi stopped in front of the door, his attitude was polite, but his tone left no room for doubt.
Fu Mingxu stopped in his tracks and entered the room by the force pushing him from behind. The door was then slammed shut, as if afraid he would run away.
Unlike the brightly decorated exterior, the city lord's room was completely devoid of any wedding decorations; he himself, dressed in wedding attire, was the only source of "joy."
However, he didn't care about any of that. Instead, he stood still and carefully examined everything in front of him.
The room was silent, filled with the flickering candlelight. The candle flames falling on the heavy curtains sounded like the silent roar of a struggling nightmare beast.
After an unknown amount of time, the sudden crackling sound of the burning candlelight broke the unspeakable silence, and Fu Mingxu finally pulled his gaze away from the curtains.
Behind the curtain should be the place where the city lord Han Tao is located.
For some reason, the flesh in Fu Mingxu's chest twitched urgently a few times, and even his palms were sweating.
No one in the Fu family knew that he was skilled in alchemy, nor did anyone know that his sense of smell was much more acute than others.
For example, as soon as he entered the room, he smelled the peculiar and faint fishy smell from the burning candlelight, which was the scent of the Blood Flower.
For example, even from a distance, he could smell the blood seeping through the thick curtains.
The smell of flowers and blood mingled together to create an even stranger odor. Fu Mingxu's heart skipped a beat, and a feeling he couldn't quite describe—a mixture of nausea and something else—occurred for a moment.
“Broken Blood Flower…” he murmured, staring at the two rows of burning candles, unsure whether it was unintentional or deliberate.
Rumor has it that the city lord Han Tao is seriously injured at this time, and the Blood-Breaking Flower hidden in the Beast Candle is no different from a slow-acting deadly poison.
Fu Mingxu glanced at the two rows of animal-shaped candles again, tried to calm his breathing, and slowly walked towards the curtain.
The candlelight seemed to flicker more violently because of his movements, and the nightmare beast on the black curtain seemed to be struggling to wake up.
Although he had made up his mind long ago, when he actually lifted the curtain, Fu Mingxu's hand, which was gripping the edge of the curtain, still trembled.
He couldn't imagine what state the severely injured person must be in there...
Fu Mingxu subconsciously took a deep breath, and almost choked on his nose by the domineering bloody smell coming through the curtain as soon as he lifted it slightly.
The exceptionally strong smell of blood caused his heart, hidden beneath his chest, to pound violently for a moment, followed by an irresistible attraction, making the blood in his body seem to boil.
"It smells so good..." This thought flashed through Fu Mingxu's mind at an inopportune moment, and he was startled when he came to his senses.
"What's wrong with me?" he murmured in astonishment as he stood by the curtain. But the strange feeling came and went quickly, and he had no idea what had just happened.
He steadied himself, his gaze darkening slightly. He finally yanked open the curtain, and the overwhelming stench of blood made him stumble back half a step.
Along with the smell of blood, there was an indescribable rich fragrance. This fragrance, mixed with the smell of blood, seeped into his nostrils, giving him a strange feeling despite his long-standing abstinence from grains.
Is this what dragon's blood tastes like?
He got hungry just from the smell...
But perhaps he didn't take the fasting pill today?
A look of embarrassment crossed Fu Mingxu's handsome face. He couldn't help but sniff, quickly took out a fasting pill and stuffed it into his mouth to barely suppress the hunger.
Only then did he have time to look at the bed not far away.