My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 783 - 489: Picking up the Bride (Combined into One)_2

She turned her head again and thought about the grand facade of this mansion... It was evident that it had fallen into desolation.

Before long, the woman brought up the tea.

Chen Yi received it in his hand and casually asked, "Does Madam Du live here alone?" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"No, I live with my daughter. A widow and her orphan. But she's getting married soon—it's to a good family." Speaking of this, the woman smiled happily, but then her brows lowered slightly, carrying a hint of melancholy.

"Marriage is a blessing." Chen Yi also noticed the large red chest placed in a corner of the hall and figured it must be the dowry. "Let me wish the young lady a harmonious union for a hundred years."

"Taoist, you're cutting it short." The woman replied with a smile.

Yin Tingxue was baffled.

Chen Yi understood her meaning and amended, "A harmonious union for ten thousand years."

The woman nodded appreciatively and exchanged a few more pleasantries before leading the two to the guest room to rest.

Chen Yi casually laid out the bedding, then grabbed Yin Tingxue and pulled her into his embrace without ceremony.

The little fox propped her face up and glanced at Chen Yi, asking, "Why do you always refuse to let me hear your thoughts?"

"What's so interesting about listening?" Chen Yi maintained his hand gesture for invoking a technique. "This, you want to hear that; you want to hear everything—what's left of my privacy?"

"Privacy?" Yin Tingxue was hearing this term for the first time, but from Chen Yi's tone, she understood what it implied. "That's a novel concept."

"You're just uncultured."

Yin Tingxue froze for a moment—wasn't that the phrase she had used before? When she glanced up, she noticed a smug expression on Chen Yi's face and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"What are you laughing at?" Chen Yi raised his eyebrows and asked.

"Nothing, nothing…"

Yin Tingxue simply thought his expression was rather amusing.

In the darkness, Chen Yi suddenly fell silent, saying not a single word, staring straight at her.

The little fox felt a chill creeping over her. Unable to hear Chen Yi's thoughts, she leaned in closer and softly asked, "What's wrong?"

"Yin Tingxue, you've grown bolder." Chen Yi said coldly.

"Isn't being bolder a good thing…" Yin Tingxue hesitated for a moment and then leaned forward to plant a kiss, "Being bold proves affection."

"Sweet words, sharp dagger."

He was certainly being obstinate. In the past, the young maiden would always panic and nervously lean in to kiss him, softening her tone, walking on eggshells to guard against him.

But after all this time, Yin Tingxue had seen much and adapted well. After a brief habitual fear, she offered no rebuttal and instead kissed him again.

"You call my words sweet and sharp," Yin Tingxue raised her eyes and asked, "but are they sweet?"

Chen Yi couldn't help but wrap his arms around her tighter as the obedient girl nestled close to him. After a while, he sighed, chuckled, and said, "You… truly, lately I wonder if I'm completely under your thumb."

"Not at all—you're the one who's dominating me," she retorted.

"That may be true, but something doesn't feel quite right…" Chen Yi muttered slowly, though he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.

"I know." Yin Tingxue suddenly revealed an expression of understanding.

"You know?"

Yin Tingxue replied, "You're getting old, but I accommodate you…"

Chen Yi's face darkened at her words and was about to retort sharply, but the mischievous little fox snugly pressed herself against his chest and disarmed him again, pulling him back for yet another kiss...

......

The next morning, Chen Yi opened his eyes, feeling rather contemplative.

His clothes remained perfectly intact. After all, they were merely lodging in someone else's home as guests, so certain matters were best left undone. Turning back to his text, Chen Yi read a few pages and sat quietly alone for a while.

Knock, knock, knock...

The sound of knocking broke the silence.

Chen Yi stood up and went to greet the visitor, finding Madam Du standing outside the door, asking, "I've prepared breakfast—will the two respected Taoists partake?"

Such kindness was hard to decline. Chen Yi nodded his agreement, turned back, and called Yin Tingxue to wake up. The little fox stretched lazily before the two headed to the dining hall, where Madam Du brought over steaming bowls of congee.

"Mother, fix my hair for me!"

The girl who was to be married today seemed busy dressing up.

"Alright, I'm coming—Mother will fix it once more for you."

Madam Du barely had time to ladle out the porridge before hurrying over to her daughter.

"No, not just once more!"

"Don't be troublesome—you're getting married. This will be the last time; in the future, ask someone from your husband's family to help you."

... The festive joy of the upcoming wedding gradually spread throughout the somewhat worn house. Yin Tingxue was struck with an unexplainable sorrow, thinking—if her biological mother were still alive, would her marriage have been like this?

Chen Yi noticed the subtle change in Yin Tingxue's eyes and pulled her into an embrace.

After regaining her composure, Yin Tingxue exhaled and began to divide the large pot of congee.

However, Chen Yi raised a hand and stopped her, remarking with a smile, "There's no rush to eat breakfast yet."

Yin Tingxue blinked in confusion.

Before she could reason it out, the piercing sound of a suona horn broke through the clouds, resounding over the village, accompanied by the boisterous clamor of drums.

The bridal escort team had arrived.

Madam Du hurriedly led her daughter to the hall. Yin Tingxue looked up and saw a procession of white marching forward—a soul banner fluttering in the wind, and the attendees scattering paper money to both sides of the path.

The glaring white "double happiness" character flapped in the sun.

Yin Tingxue felt dazed for a moment.

When she turned her gaze back, as if the thin mist had dispersed slightly, she realized—

No sign of Madam Du or the young girl remained,

Only two ancestral tablets stood in their place.

......

"The two of you… are traveling Taoists seeking lodging, yes?"

The bridal escort team, spotting Chen Yi and Yin Tingxue, froze in shock. Several nearly turned pale with fright.

After Chen Yi offered some explanations, their nerves gradually settled, though their wary gazes lingered uneasily on the pair.

"Yes, merely passing through and borrowing shelter for the night," Chen Yi glanced at the grand procession and asked, "Is this to observe a ghost marriage?"

The leader hesitated before nodding affirmatively.

In these times, ghost marriages were not uncommon. The wealthier the family, the likelier they were to arrange posthumous unions for their deceased children. A ghost matchmaker would negotiate the betrothal, divinations would be consulted, a union ceremony held, and the couple buried together.

The purpose of ghost marriages was twofold—first, to console restless spirits, and second, to ease the grief of the living. Within the Great Yu, as long as it was reported to the government and taxes were paid, the ritual could be carried out. Of course, seeking live sacrifices for such unions was absolutely prohibited—a crime punishable by law.

Since they had received some hospitality the previous night, Chen Yi glanced at the two ancestral tablets and inquired, "May I assist with the rites?"

Another Taoist in the team wouldn't be unwelcome. The leader's eyes lit up and quickly answered, "Yes, yes, yes."

Subsequently, the leading family members entered the house and reverently bowed several times before the approximate Du Family tablets. They offered incense with deep sincerity before carefully bringing out the smaller tablet.

Another person carried the tablet out as well—both tablets were identical in size.

As Chen Yi walked alongside one escort, they chatted about the details of the union. As it turned out, the bride's family, surnamed Wei, was once the most affluent landowner in the region, known for their generosity. However, their lineage dwindled over time. By the last head of the family, there was only a single daughter, who tragically succumbed to illness at the age of sixteen.

The Wei patriarch was an accomplished young man versed in the Four Books and Five Classics. Though he achieved local recognition, repeated attempts at the higher government examinations yielded no results until one fortunate year brought him unexpected success—but while traveling north for national exams, he drowned. His body was retrieved and buried thanks to a fellow townsman surnamed Li, now representing the groom's side. Meanwhile, news of the patriarch's death coincided with the daughter's, and the grieving matron succumbed to sorrow, dying in the hall herself.

"Our two families had been close. Back then, Brother Wei and my father shared a remarkable connection, becoming fast friends despite their age gap. We had hoped to see them celebrate joint success, yet faced unforeseen tragedy."

Li Chenghang lamented deeply before continuing about the couple,

"As for Miss Wei and my brother, they grew up as childhood companions, their betrothal arranged early. Unfortunately, at age six, my brother fell victim to an epidemic. My father always carried this regret, so he sought blessings from spirits and gods and even consulted a ghost matchmaker for their consent. Having 'met' each other once more, both spirits approved—thus, the marriage was arranged..."

The journey continued with assorted queries until they finally reached their destination—the Wei family burial site, where the two ancestral tablets were placed before the patriarch's tomb.

With a low voice, Chen Yi began chanting the scripture of deliverance,

"Mercy descends in the tempest, the gateway to ambrosial grace; transforming all realms, ferrying all souls…"

One male and one female spirit appeared as they emerged from the tablets, adorned in ceremonial wedding attire. Hovering in midair, they bowed solemnly toward Chen Yi...