"Will You Marry Me?"

Su Yang and Gu Feidi spent the first day of the new year in the courtyard at the foot of Junyou Mountain. Afterward, they packed their luggages and rushed to the House of Jade.

They had received the news before the start of the new year that after Gu Ruohai and Su Huaizhu had handled the aftermath of the Evil Sect, they returned to Tengyun Pavilion together.

However, since their major battle at the Evil Sect in the winter solstice, Su Huaizhu hadn’t shown his face. Therefore, the current Jianghu rumours still remained at the moment when he was pierced by the Wulin Alliance Leader’s sword and fell into the sea of fire that started in the Sanctuary.

It was rumoured that Gu Ruohai went to the Evil Sect to help Su Huaizhu in the reparation, it was also said that Tengyun Pavilion annexed the Evil Sect’s forces in an attempt to expand the Pavilion and forcibly dominate the Wulin. 

“As for the Inheritance of the sword sage, Wujiang Sect sent false information that Tengyun Pavilion had obtained a copy from E’Luo Gui Faction, but was unwilling to share it with the masses.”

The two rode side by side while Gu Feidi explained to Su Yang the news sent by the Tengyun Pavilion, “Fortunately, after discussing with Chi Tong, Luo Yin claimed that my Pavilion had handed over the Inheritance sword manual to the Imperial Court and it would be stored in the Imperial Guard battalion. Now, Wulin forces no longer doubt or covet the manual.”

Su Yang frowned and asked, “Then how about Wujiang Sect? We can’t just let them go!”

Gu Feidi replied, “They have been entrenched in the Central Plains for a long time. Their beneficial network of news trading is spread all over small aristocratic families, so it’s difficult to remove them. Now, they also are aware of the danger they are in, so they will temporarily reduce their movement. We don’t have the information that could be used against the Wujiang Sect that could convince the entire Wulin. For now, we can only pretend to not investigate them and slowly figure something out. There’s always the Wulin Conference next autumn, father would surely handle this in a timely manner.”

Then, he gazed up at the snow-covered mountains in the distance.

After they passed that mountain, they would reach the border of Qing Wu County, which wasn’t far from the House of Jade.

“Am I being a bit too wilful?”

Su Yang added immediately, “You were brought up in Tengyun Pavilion, the education you received should have been related to the principle of being chivalrous since childhood. I reckon you were trained to be the next leader of your Pavilion as well. For me, I never liked fighting in the Jianghu, it’s my own business to return to the House of Jade and live out of the public’s eyes. But now, I’m dragging you along with me, making you give up on many things…”

Gu Feidi smiled tenderly. “I’m the one who is willing to accompany you. How could I say you’re being wilful? I'm more-so between the two of us.”

Su Yang turned to Gu Feidi and mumbled, “You could have been the next lord of the Tengyun Pavilion. Maybe even the Wulin Alliance Leader as well...Won’t you feel regretful wasting your youth, mingling with me, the Young Master of the Evil Sect?’

Gu Feidi met Su Yang’s eyes and raised his eyebrows, replying, “How could anyone know what will happen in the future?”

“...Huh?”

“I can answer your question now, it doesn’t need to wait for the future. If I’m not mingling with you, I’ll regret not having a chance at this young and frivolous life.”

Su Yang was content. 

Gu Feidi teased with a smile, “Why are you so fond of honey-sweet words?”

Having his thoughts being seen through, Su Yang was somewhat embarrassed as he flatly denied, “What are you talking about? I’m just worrying about you! Men are all big pig’s trottersDirect translation of 大豬蹄子. It’s an internet slang for women complaining about men who failed to keep their promises, fall in love with someone new or are not considerate towards women. .”

Gu Feidi was amused by the internet slang as he burst out laughing. “What’s the story behind a pig’s trotter?”

Su Yang: “...”

One day later, the duo finally arrived at Mount Mei Zhu. 

After entrusting their horses to the nearby League Hall, Su Yang and Gu Feidi went into the mountain hand in hand and walked in the direction of the House of Jade.

At dusk, they happened to arrive at the farmhouse on the hillside of Mount Mei Zhu and stopped by to visit Old Qi, who spent his leisure time living there.

Old Qi was right in the middle of gathering the herbs he started drying during the morning. When he spotted the two young men, he bluntly instructed them to help out. So the three of them collected, crushed, and ground the herbs into powder. Once they were done, it was late into the night. 

“It’s late, just rest here for the night. It’s hardly a delay to continue up the mountain first thing tomorrow morning.” Old Qi stored the powder and personally bought the bedding for them. “Just stay in the guest room where Su Su stayed that year.”

Then he laughed twice. “At that time, you two were quarrelling here. Who would have thought that you two would be this close now.”

Gu Feidi accepted the bedding and said, “Thank you for your teaching that day, otherwise...this one would have missed a chance at love this lifetime.”

Old Qi waved his hand. “That’s not necessarily true. Since you two are destined, no matter how many times you two miss each other, there will be reuniting again and again until the two of you are together. At that time, I just didn’t want to see you lose more than you saved and form an internal hindrance feeling in the future, that’s all.”

Gu Feidi stated, “Whatever the case, this one is very grateful to the senior.”

After chatting with Old Qi again, Su Yang and Gu Feidi went back to the side room to rest.

Recalling the scene in his farmhouse in the past, Su Yang asked curiously, “They all called you ‘young-rising righteous hero’ or something like that, as someone of righteous principal...Why did you try to hide me training in the night from the House of Jade even after witnessing it with your own eyes? You didn’t want me to be selected back then?”

Gu Feidi lowered his head and chuckled. “You only have yourself to blame for your verbal teasing, which birthed a grudge in my heart, created a moment of malevolence. At that time, I was too young to suppress my anger, so I didn’t want you to enter the House of Jade with me.”

Su Yang laughed out loud.

He thought for a moment, lifted a finger and raised Gu Feidi’s chin. The tip of his eyebrows raised as he leaned forward, and carried a wicked tone belonging to the Evil Sect’s Young Master and recited the line againFrom chapter eight., “Young Hero Gu is an outstanding dragon among mortal men. Why don’t we...share a bed? Half will be yours, and I will sleep on the other half?”

Gu Feidi narrowed his eyes slightly and a soft smile appeared on his lips. He leaned over to capture the other’s lips. 

“Isn’t half of the bed too little?” He held Su Yang in his arms, deepened his voice and whispered against the other’s ear, “Why don’t you also give me a half of you?”

Su Yang pushed the younger man away and muttered, “Hey! Don’t cause a scene here. Old Qi’s hearing is very sharp…”

Gu Feidi smiled and pulled the man back into his arms, cuddling quietly. 

The next day, when the sky was barely brightened, Su Yang and Gu Feidi bid farewell to Old Qi, left the farmhouse and rushed to the House of Jade.

When they arrived at the stone forest array, Su Yang felt very excited as he pulled Gu Feidi’s hand and suggested, “Why don’t we walk through it without using our internal energy to suppress the array. Just us holding hands, walking side by side. Just like the day of our final assessment to see if the array can still work on us. How about it? I just want to see if it could see through different people’s hearts, even if we don’t let go of our hands.”

Gu Feidi naturally had no objection. He extended his hand and clasped Su Yang’s fingers before they stepped into the stone forest array together.

They walked a few steps while holding hands, and when they turned a corner piled with boulders, they saw that the road ahead was straight and the towering rocks on both sides stood opposite of each other, as if two rows of honor guards stood on the side.

There was a natural stone arch at the end of this straight path. It looked just like...

...Just like a western wedding ceremony.

Su Yang: “...”

His heart shivered as he wanted to meet this creator of the House of Jade, the Shizun of this place, more and more, and ask for this exotic person’s origin. 

Gu Feidi, who was unaware of Su Yang’s thought processes, swayed their connected hands and asked, “Did you find the exit to the maze this easily? Was it really within the time to burn an incense?”

“Er, I…” Su Yang flattened his lips. “During that year, I didn’t want to enter the House of Jade, so when I saw the exit for the first and second time, instead of going forward, I turned around. Until I finally...gave up when this broken array sent me directly to the exit. Then that’s the story, I doubt it took me a whole thirty minutes, I mean time to burn an incense.”

As they walked hand in hand through the archway and leaped along the iron chain bridge to the peak where the House of Jade was located. The duo met Di Ling who was walking unhurriedly. 

There was no change in Di Ling’s appearance at all. She was still dressed in white with her long, floating hair, holding a manual in her hand and a green bird resting on her shoulder. 

She walked toward them at a leisurely pace, and said carrying a smile on her face, “Earlier today, Shizun wrote to me that you two would arrive sometime early morning and ordered me to welcome you.”

Gu Feidi and Su Yang cupped their fists in salutation, the prior one said, “Shizun is the same as before. Could predict things like an immortal.”

Di Ling nodded. “Come along now. Shizun had ordered someone to renovate the Lively Spring Garden. That’s where you two will live from now on.”

Traveling back to the Lively Spring Garden was like driving a lightweight chariot on a familiar road, it was the place they once lived together. Even in winter, the courtyard was still covered in luscious flowers and plants. The area filled with red plum blossom trees in particular, whose flowers were in full bloom, was very prosperous in the clear sky in the morning. 

However, only the flowers and trees stayed the same. The original structure in the courtyard was very different.

Originally, the courtyard was without a kitchen and bathroom. There were only two houses. The main house was Di Ling’s residence during their training, while the duo lived in the side house together. 

Now, the main house has been completely demolished, replaced by flowers and trees. While the side house they once lived in had been transformed into a two-story building. A winding corridor extended out from the little house and against the courtyard wall, connecting the kitchen and bathroom in the corner of the courtyard—it was obvious that this place became an independent and fully functional courtyard, which was perfect for two people to live.

It was not until they entered the two-story building that Su Yang and Gu Feidi understood why they made a huge fuss on transforming the courtyard—the interior decoration was mostly red and gold, it was simply like...a wedding room.

Su Yang: “...”

Gu Feidi: “...”

Su Yang placed his hand against his forehead. “Di Ling Shijie, was this room decorated according to Shizun’s design?”

Di Ling replied with a shallow smile, “Yes, Li Shijie led Zhu Shixiong, Wen Shixiong, and Yang Shijie to arrange it personally under Shizun’s orders. When you two first trained here, they were either in seclusion or traveling outside the House of Jade’s walls. They hadn’t ever interacted with the two of you much. Since you two will be staying here in the future, you will be bound to meet them in the future. This is their small regard.”

Su Yang and Gu Feidi exchanged a look, the older man whispered, “Isn’t setting up with these colours a bit…”

Di Ling felt curious. “Colours?”

Gu Feidi couldn’t resist showing a smile and answered, “No, it’s nothing. The colour looks very good.”

Di Ling was out of the loop, so she just nodded and said, “You two have travelled a long way. Just rest here the rest of the morning. There are clothes prepared in the dressing room in the bathhouse. Once it’s sunfall, there will be a welcome feast prepared for you two at the dining hall.”

Gu Feidi and Su Yang cupped their fists together. “Shijie, thank you very much.”

When she left, Su Yang couldn’t hold back his laughter anymore as he fell on Gu Feidi from laughing too hard. 

“What the hell is this!” He laughed heartily. “If these colours were arranged under Shizun’s order, I really want to meet this Shizun of ours with my own eyes....”

He sighed, “Why do I feel that she really wants us to get married on the spot.”

Gu Feidi chuckled and asked, “Would you?”

Su Yang was startled, “Would I what?”

Gu Feidi proposed, “Marry me.”

Hearing this, at first Su Yang felt amusement and turned his head to crack a few jokes.

Unbeknownst to him, as soon as he faced the other, he crashed into the flashing hope in Gu Feidi’s eyes, as if there was a Milky Way trapped inside of those eyes.

Throat trembling, Su Yang instinctively replied, “Yes, I do.”

The joy suddenly covered Gu Feidi’s eyes, like a nebula blossom and a brilliant light suddenly appeared.

Gu Feidi flattened his lips, reached out to grab for their bags, threw them onto the chairs beside them and embraced Su Yang into his arms.

Su Yang finally realised what he answered, and he was mad at his foolish self for being completely charmed by Gu Feidi’s beauty...What was that word again? Oh right, a dog who only looks at appearance顏狗 is the combination of face + dog. An internet slang of someone who treats good-looking people especially well, obsessed with appearance, or a ‘face-judger’.!

He struggled a bit and tried to remedy, “What else was I supposed to answer with how far our relationship is? We already did everything that we should and shouldn’t do. Isn’t your proposal a bit late?”

Gu Feidi didn’t let go, instead, he hugged the older man tighter.

Su Yang continued chattering, “Besides, what’s the use of your proposal? What precedent is there for two men marrying here? Could we even go to the government official and request for me to be listed as part of your family?”

After a moment of silence, Gu Feidi whispered, “If you want it, I’ll figure a way to satisfy all of you.”

Su Yang rolled his eyes but was amused by this remark. “I’m not so pretentious. Compared to having a wedding ceremony, it’s better to...why don’t we check out the bathhouse? We can do some of the most practical business in married life. Are you with me?”

Hearing his suggestion, Gu Feidi muffled his chuckles, stretched out his hand, picked the other man up and out the door they went.