Chapter Seventy-Five: The Underworld Wedding

After returning from the path of the Infernal Purgatory, I did not see Mingzhong for the entire next day. Instead, I was watched over by Mingbo.

With vivid gestures and a dramatic tone, Mingbo described to me how Mingzhong, having failed to keep an eye on me, was punished. He recounted how the King of the Underworld was as cruel to his own son as to a stranger, and spoke at length of the misery Mingzhong endured under torture.

“He deserved it!” I thought to myself with bitter hatred.

“You’re lucky, you know. If the Soul-Slaying executioner had really managed to kill you, it wouldn’t have been resolved as easily as the Second Prince merely taking a beating. Those ten demon spawn—your little broken fan killed them, didn’t it? Who would have thought your shabby fan was actually a divine weapon that protects its master. But no matter, those little monsters, dead or alive, mean nothing. For the King, as long as you live, losing ten is nothing compared to the value of one.” Mingbo clicked his tongue in feigned admiration.

Looking at his face, full of cunning and malice, I was bewildered. Was the life of a princess sent for marriage truly so important? What did they want to use me for? Whatever it was, it could not be anything good. I had to escape—I could not let them succeed!

“Father won’t let me leave the palace, so now, aside from watching over you and my brother, there’s nothing for me to concern myself with. Life is truly dull—looks like it’s best to hurry along your wedding. Women, once they give their bodies, their hearts follow… Don’t you think so? My brother is really good to you, truly good.”

I kept my expression blank, though fury burned within me.

“My dear brother… his looks… oh, I can hardly resist telling you. But never mind, better to let you see for yourself. Hahaha—you’ll fall for him, I promise.”

“He might be more beautiful than the spring breeze, but he’s still a demon!” I steeled myself, silently praying that the plan Ko-ko and I made for the wedding day would succeed.

That day, outside the grim and oppressive Iron Enclosure Mountain, hungry ghosts and spirits from the Boundless Nether Sea gathered from every direction, begging for a scrap of underworld grain. These wretches were the souls of the greedy, whether celestial or mortal, from across the three realms. At the sight of food, they were driven mad by hunger, but their throats were finer than a needle’s point—whatever they managed to bring to their mouths, they could never swallow, never be satisfied. Yet, in their eternal hunger, even a single drop of water or a grain of rice would send them into ecstatic rejoicing.

Within the Iron Enclosure Mountain, ghostly blue flames flickered, and the dark sky erupted with eerie, blue netherlight, cloaking the underworld in an atmosphere of wicked seduction and gloom.

In the Infernal Purgatory, lava roiled and boiled; the sinful and greedy souls trapped within struggled desperately toward the heavens, their howls shaking the air. These were the souls of those who had committed great evils. Every day, they perished in the flames, only to be reborn the next day with no memory, and again cast into the lava in utmost terror and agony, to die once more. They never knew they were endlessly repeating this cycle of suffering, nor why. All they knew was to reach out for salvation, to beg for rescue… to plead for the “god” in a white immortal gown who walked slowly along the corridor suspended above the abyss, hoping she would pull them from their misery.

Along that suspended corridor, the “Seventh Princess” walked slowly toward the great hall, her eyes shimmering with tears. She wore a wedding robe of pure white, draped in light veils like clouds, like snow…

The suffering souls below the chasm were pitiable, but she could not help them—she could barely save herself. She had to escape first!

Outside the shadowy hall, netherlight swirled, cold winds whistled… There he stood, clad in white wedding robes, sashes fluttering, his demeanor proud and aloof as a celestial—his figure reminiscent of the man who once stood upon the Cliff of Chasing Immortals, the one who, in the mirror of the spring breeze, wore white wedding robes waiting to marry Lu Xue!

He turned, wearing a mask of white jade… and approached in measured steps. He extended his hand… the “Seventh Princess” paused, and he took hold of the other end of the flower-adorned wedding sash she carried… A single sash bound these two adversaries together. He led her forward, side by side…

She told herself it was all an illusion! This was not a scene from the Spring Breeze Mirror, but a true ghostly wedding in the underworld—not Han Qing clutching only Lu Xue’s memorial tablet, but Mingzhong and the “Seventh Princess” walking together as a true couple.

She bit her lip until it bled, swallowing the blood along with her tears…

They walked together toward the great hall. She even considered, at the very moment their hands would be joined, to draw her sword and stab him in the chest! But she knew there was no hope of success yet—she had to wait for Ko-ko, for that crucial moment.

The first bow was to heaven and earth—she bowed to the bright, open sky, not to this soul-devouring purgatory; the second to the high hall—she bowed to all living beings, not the distant, unfeeling King of the Underworld; the third, to her husband—she bowed to a god who cared for the world, not the demon hiding behind a mask.

This ghostly wedding was like a dream… a hazy dream, as fleeting as flowers in the mirror or moonlight on water, at once illusory and agonizing, a dream finally realized… a reality woven of blood and tears, carried out in another’s name.

In the bridal chamber, I waited anxiously, my heart a tangle of dread and expectation—but instead of good news from Ko-ko, Mingbo burst in with underworld soldiers!

I was dragged to the great hall, thrown to the floor. The wedding feast had ended. The King of the Underworld sat on his throne, his face twisted with rage, silent. Beside him stood Lady Jiang, gentle and demure. Lined along the hall were Mingbo, Mingzhong, Mingmo, and a massive, fierce black underworld hound on Mingmo’s leash.

“You're quite something, little princess. All my warnings clearly fell on deaf ears. Even a bird you could use to your advantage.” Mingbo eyed me with a mocking smile.

“A bird!” My heart lurched—they had discovered Ko-ko!

“Where’s Ko-ko?” I looked around frantically for her.

Lady Jiang walked calmly from the king’s side, reached into her sleeve, and produced the drunken, barely breathing Ko-ko, dropping her before me! Lady Jiang’s expression remained as courteous and humble as ever.

“Princess, a woman ought to be obedient,” Lady Jiang said gently.

“So it was this meek, submissive woman who caught Ko-ko!” I glared at Lady Jiang, furious at her and her son both!

“Mingzhong’s wounds distracted him for a moment. I beg Father and Elder Brother to punish me!” Mingzhong pleaded.

“Second Brother, how could you be so careless again after just suffering a loss? You’re really not trying hard enough!” Mingbo scolded.

“Yes, Elder Brother. I will remember!” Mingzhong gritted his teeth and bowed to accept his punishment.

“Second, I’ve told you before what to do with an unruly woman, haven’t I?” the King barked.

Mingzhong gritted his teeth. “I remember, Father. Disobedient women must die!”

“Good,” the King nodded.

“No, Father! On such a joyous day, before the bridal chamber—doesn’t she still have her uses?” Mingbo interjected anxiously.

“She may escape death, but not punishment! Handle your affairs as you see fit!” the King said to Mingzhong.

“Yes, Father.” Mingzhong turned and ordered Mingmo, “Feed this warbler to the underworld hound!”

Mingmo released the leash, and the vicious hound lunged at Ko-ko.

I rushed to protect Ko-ko, but Mingzhong stomped me to the ground, sealing my newly restored immortal body.

The hound bit Ko-ko and swallowed her whole.

Agony tore through my heart—Ko-ko had risked her life to help me, only to die because of me!

Mingzhong’s bone whip descended on me. Compared to the pain of my master’s destruction, the betrayal by my dearest brother, the loss of Ko-ko to the underworld hound… the pain of the whip was nothing.

The scheme was exposed, and with it went all words, all worry, all light, all hope… I lay on the ground, letting Mingzhong beat me as he pleased.

“That’s enough, Second Brother. It’s your wedding night—don’t kill her.” Mingbo urged.

“Yes. Father?” Mingzhong sought the king’s approval.

“You were born to fight for the underworld! If you can’t even control a woman, how will you lead troops? Take her away and discipline her properly! If you can’t, I’ll find someone else who can!” the King roared.

“Yes, Father. I will obey!” Mingzhong replied.

Grinning, Mingbo sidled up to Mingzhong, draped an arm over his shoulder, and whispered, “Just teach her a lesson—don’t go too far, or how will you love each other? Come on, the wedding night is precious. You still have an important task!”

Mingzhong put away the bone whip and lifted me from the ground.

“Wait!” Mingbo called.

Mingzhong paused.

With a wicked grin, Mingbo approached and blew a breath across my face… I felt dizzy, just as when the Enchantress once did the same to me!

“Mind control! Mingbo has used mind control on me!” My heart plummeted as if into purgatory.

“So amusing,” Mingbo said to Mingzhong with a sly smile.

On the way back to the bridal chamber…

Blood from my whip wounds seeped through my white wedding gown, staining Mingzhong’s robes—a splash of bright red in this gloomy, sinister underworld, the sole “festive” color of this ghostly wedding…

In the moonlight, through my blurred vision, I saw a tall figure, a warm embrace… That year in the underworld, the moonlight was just as hazy, just as fraught with danger, and my master had carried me away from here just like this… Tears streamed down my face.

Back in the wedding chamber of Mingzhong’s palace, he gently laid me on the bridal bed, leaned against the rail, and pulled away my intricate outer garments and gown… I wept, weakly resisting him.

He caught my hands and cast a healing spell on me…

Tears fell in a steady stream, soaking my sleeves, turning into sparkling stars, then fluttering up like tiny sprites… The pale candle flames danced, like the plump ginseng sprites of Kunlun beckoning to me… The drifting white curtains, swaying in the breeze, seemed to transform into Kunlun’s snow…

Everything before my eyes grew more and more dreamlike, until I swooned and collapsed…

Mingzhong caught me in time… I looked up at him, at that white jade mask, at the eyes behind it… so familiar…

He gently brushed away my tears. “Don’t cry. If you keep crying, you’ll waste all the flower dew I gave you to drink.”

Those eyes… That voice and tone…

“Master! You’ve finally come! You’ve finally come!” I clung to his arm, overwhelmed by joy and grievance.

“Fei’er, don’t be afraid, it’s all right now…” He wiped away my tears, comforting me.

“I’m not afraid. But why do you hide behind a mask?” I weakly reached up to remove it.

He blocked my hand. “You want to see my face? Every woman who’s been with me always wants to look.”

I gazed at him, thinking, “With no heart-protecting scales left, you don’t need to hide behind a mask for safety—Fei’er will protect you…”

“They’re all dead. I only want true affection…” he said gloomily.

“They all truly loved you—Lu Xue, Yu Ji… they’re gone… and then there’s me.” I reached once more for his mask.

Suddenly, all the lights in the hall went out; only the faint netherlight from the window illuminated the chamber in a dreamy haze…

He took my hand, pulled me into his arms, and with the other hand reached for his own mask…