Chapter 364: On the Eve of the Wedding

Jiang Huai felt a fiery pain all over his body, especially in his lower abdomen, like a ball of fire burning inside.

The pain gnawed at his bones, spreading from his dantian to his limbs.

He snapped his eyes open, and the familiar ceiling greeted him.

The beam was old, the wood tinged with a dull yellow, a few cracks running through it.

Cobwebs hung in the corner, and the paint had peeled.

Familiar—so familiar that it even felt strange.

“This… where is this? Am I dead?” he murmured, his voice hoarse.

“No.” A woman’s voice suddenly sounded from beside him, as flat as water.

Jiang Huai jerked his head to look. An ordinary-looking woman was lying beside him, watching him with a calm expression.

Her features were plain, her nose neither high nor low, her lips a light red. She wore a simple cloth dress, her long hair spread across the pillow.

“You… Wu Zhaohua? What’s wrong with you?” He struggled to sit up, but dizziness darkened his vision and he collapsed back heavily.

He clutched his abdomen in pain, where something seemed to churn.

“I’m so tired. I feel like I had a very, very long dream.”

From outside came the cries of the small town—a tofu seller, an oil seller, a candied hawthorn seller.

One after another, rising and falling, lively and bustling.

Sunlight streamed through the window, falling warmly on the bedding.

Wu Zhaohua chuckled softly. “It was indeed quite long. You’ve been sleeping the whole time.”

Jiang Huai held his head, which throbbed in waves, his temples pulsing as if hammered.

“I… I think I died. It hurt so much.”

A flicker of pain passed through Wu Zhaohua’s eyes. She reached out and pulled him into her arms, gently patting his back. Her movements were slow and tender, her expression soft.

“It’s all right now. It’s all right.”

“Don’t worry. Get some rest.”

Jiang Huai’s breathing gradually steadied.

He stared blankly at Wu Zhaohua’s face for a long time, then whispered, “You came back to save me, didn’t you?”

Wu Zhaohua smiled faintly, and her features began to change.

Her brows deepened, her nose became more prominent, her lips reddened.

That ordinary face gradually transformed into a stunningly beautiful immortal fairy’s visage.

She laughed softly. “I thought you might think it was all a dream. I was planning to tease you.”

She waved her hand lightly, and the noise outside the yard vanished instantly.

Gone without a trace, as if it had never existed.

“How did you come back from the Immortal Realm?” Jiang Huai’s eyes widened.

“I walked back, step by step.” Wu Zhaohua looked away, avoiding his gaze.

She didn’t say it had also been a journey carved out by one blade after another.

“You’re amazing. To actually return from the Immortal Realm.” Lying in her arms, Jiang Huai felt his heart settle.

He closed his eyes, feeling her warmth, her heartbeat.

“Thank you for saving me. I never thought I’d still be alive,” he murmured.

He had already been determined to die, never expecting to open his eyes again and see her.

Wu Zhaohua raised an eyebrow. She pressed her slender fingers against Jiang Huai’s neck and snorted coldly. “How do you know I came to save you?”

“I’m actually here to kill you. I just didn’t want you to die so easily! Now I’m here to finish the job!”

Despite her words, her hand never tightened; she just gently rubbed his neck, her fingertips warm.

“Why would you kill me?” Jiang Huai didn’t resist, speaking weakly.

It felt like old times.

Back when they were both mortals, Wu Zhaohua always talked like that, spouting harsh words for no reason.

“You still ask why? Why not go and ask those people hovering outside the Mysterious Sect, flying around aimlessly?” Wu Zhaohua snorted, then waved her hand, sending a gust of wind.

Outside the window, the sky suddenly brightened.

Jiang Huai followed her gaze.

Beyond the boundaries marked by the Wenxuan Sect, streams of colorful light lingered, refusing to leave.

Those lights were multicolored, trailing long streaks across the sky. They came and went, but never dared to cross the line by even half a step.

Ao Yao floated in the air, wearing a light blue dress that swayed in the breeze. Her emerald eyes were full of envy as she clicked her tongue.

Behind her, a few little girls from the Azure Dragon Clan also craned their necks to peek.

“Wow, the Wenxuan Sect is really generous, marking off such a huge area! This must have been the territory of several sects before, right?” She stood with her hands on her hips, a startled look on her small face.

Chihuang stood beside her, her red dress like fire. Her dragon tail swished gently behind her as she crossed her arms in silence, frowning slightly at the invisible sword intent barrier at the Wenxuan Sect’s border.

Further away, Qin Qingyue had possessed Qin Xuange’s body. She flew back and forth in the air, hands on her hips, occasionally glancing toward the Wenxuan Sect and cursing.

“Wu Zhaohua! Have you forgotten how we fought side by side in the Immortal Realm?! At least let me in! Who keeps all the goodies for themselves like this?” She shouted loudly, her voice echoing through the sky.

“How is he now? Is he hurt? At least give me some news!”

“Come out, Wu Zhaohua! Hurry up! I even transferred Yin-Yang Spiritual Qi to you! Come out!”

The other women followed behind her, taking her lead.

Zhu Siyao wore a red robe and held a long sword. Su Yingman leaned on Tang Zhaoxue’s shoulder, her pink dress fluttering.

Chihuang stood together with Cang Ling and Cang Jing, their expressions varied.

A sudden gust of wind blew in—neither hot nor cold, with no killing intent, but immense force.

The women were instantly scattered, their dresses rustling and hair flying wildly.

Qin Qingyue, borrowing Qin Xuange’s body, was naturally no match. She was pushed back repeatedly.

She bared her teeth in rage, and her dragon roar shook the sky. She revealed her Black Dragon true form in midair.

Her black, coiled dragon body undulated, scales gleaming cold, dragon eyes blood red.

She circled several times, letting out roar after roar, scattering the clouds.

But the sword intent barrier remained unmoved.

At the Wenxuan Sect’s border, Qi Yuyong was directing Bai Lei and others in constructing the new sect.

She wore a water-green dress that gave her a crisp, efficient look.

Glancing at the hovering lights outside and then at the roaring black dragon in the distance, she asked quietly, “Don’t you think Senior Sister might be going a bit too far? Our sect seems to rely on…”

The sect was still in a state of transition, even more so than before the war.

But no other sect in the Five Provinces could boast of having a Heavenly Immortal level sect leader.

This was the first such case in ten thousand years.

Bai Lei wore a sword at her waist, her face cold as she directed the disciples and elders before her. She said flatly, “So what? Senior Sister also saved Jiang Huai.”

She paused, then asked, “Did you prepare what Senior Sister asked for?”

Qi Yuyong nodded repeatedly and said with a grin, “The wedding between Senior Sister and Jiang Huai—I’m already arranging it.”

“It will definitely be the grandest wedding of the New Era!”

After Jiang Huai saved the Five Provinces, the world called it the New Era.

“Then what about those people outside? Should we invite them?” Qi Yuyong asked, looking at the women beyond the sword formation.