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墨書 Inktalez
Yama's Wedding
Yao Guang never expected that the banquet at the Bandit Hideout would be so grand.
Although he knew everything here was a facade, it seemed that before this Bandit Hideout was destroyed, life here was quite pleasant.
Even though it was just a banquet, as soon as Yao Guang stepped outside, he saw that the houses in the mountains were adorned with bright red lanterns. At a glance, the entire valley appeared as bright as day. At night, the valley often had winds, and the evening breeze lightly brushed against the vibrant light of so many lanterns, making the green bamboo appear dim. Two rows of tall lanterns were set up in front of the village, beneath which were two rows of low tables.
Yao Guang looked around and noticed that people had already begun to take their seats. There seemed to be no assigned seating; everyone was casually scattered among the tables, except for Jun Ruo, who sat above them.
"You've come!" Old Five excitedly invited Xue and Yao Guang to sit down.
The previously lively atmosphere suddenly quieted when the two arrived, leaving only the faint sounds of children playing. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared intently at Yao Guang and Xue.
Feeling uncomfortable under their gaze, Yao Guang was pulled closer by Xue.
"They're here!" Jun Ruo, who had been drinking alone, raised his cup to acknowledge Yao Guang and Xue.
Seeing Jun Ruo's gesture, Xue and Yao Guang quickly picked up their cups in return.
"Everyone, continue eating!" After Jun Ruo spoke, the atmosphere became lively again.
Yao Guang sat tightly beside Xue, enduring the occasional curious glances directed at them.
"I’m Young Master Xue. Your martial arts are impressive; who is your master?" Old Five kept chatting with Xue. It seemed that they had hit it off; in this Bandit Hideout, Yao Guang felt that perhaps only Old Five admired them—oh no, it seemed he only admired Xue.
"I have no master," replied Xue.
Upon hearing Xue's answer, Old Five was visibly surprised. He hadn't expected this young man to possess such skills without being from a prestigious school. However, as someone from the martial world, Old Five didn't care much about such things and patted Xue's shoulder heartily. "I’m also without a master or sect. I’ve always looked down on those who boast about their noble backgrounds; they’re nothing special."
Hearing Old Five’s words made Yao Guang twitch at the corner of his eye. This wasn’t exactly being without a master! If Old Five knew about Xue’s background, he might be scared to death. Yao Guang thought to himself.
Xue remained noncommittal to Old Five's comments and did not refute him.
"I thought you came from a prestigious background and hoped to learn a move or two from you to brag about later. What a pity."
"Pfft," Old Five's words almost made Yao Guang spit out the wine in her mouth. Learning martial arts with Xue? That would only mean waiting until you no longer wanted to live and directly going to the Underworld to learn.
Xue glanced at Yao Guang, who was stifling her laughter beside him. He wondered what was going on in her mind, enjoying her own little amusement. Living freely was indeed a joy.
Yao Guang was secretly imagining the scene of Old Five learning martial arts in the Underworld with Xue. She felt as if the once bustling sounds around her had suddenly vanished, and then a pair of hands appeared before her—slightly pale, with calluses between the palms and fingers, clearly the hands of someone who had practiced swordsmanship for years. This was Yao Guang's assessment after observing them. She felt quite proud of her observation; after all, Xue had mocked her for not being attentive enough last time.
Wait, why did a pair of hands suddenly appear out of nowhere?
Yao Guang belatedly raised her head and saw Jun Ruo had come down from the stage at some point. No wonder it had suddenly become quiet around them.
"May I invite you both for a drink?" Jun Ruo asked, fiddling with the cup in his hand, raising an eyebrow at Xue and Yao Guang.
Old Five had been laughing with Xue when Jun Ruo arrived, startling him into a dazed state.
Xue, however, was not surprised at all. He readily picked up a cup from the table. "Why not!"
Yao Guang did not share Xue's calmness; she had no idea what Jun Ruo was up to. He had already hinted at something earlier with both her and Xue, and now causing a stir at this banquet—what was he trying to achieve?
Under the eaves, one must bow their head. Although Yao Guang didn’t understand Jun Ruo's intentions, she still lifted her cup.
"Clink." The sound of their three cups meeting echoed crisply in the quiet surroundings.
"Today, I have an announcement to make." After finishing his drink, Jun Ruo returned to the stage and addressed everyone below.
"This is Young Master Xue, accompanied by his wife Yao Guang. Today, they are officially part of our Black Wind Stronghold. From now on, we are all brothers; we will share blessings and face difficulties together!"
Was this a formal introduction?
As soon as Jun Ruo finished speaking, the previously quiet atmosphere erupted into noise.
"Brother Xue, come, let’s have a drink!"
"Brother Xue, let's find some time to spar!"
Soon, a steady stream of people came over to drink with Xue.
Yao Guang was also surrounded by the ladies, who were bombarding her with questions. "Madam, you are so fortunate! Your husband is truly handsome."
"Indeed, I've never seen such a good-looking man before."
Hearing these words, Yao Guang realized that although they had come to talk to her, they were only praising Xue. In her daily life, she rarely experienced such intimacy with others. Now, being surrounded by so many people left her unsure of how to respond; she could only smile awkwardly.
Looking at Xue, who was blocked by the crowd, she saw him effortlessly mingling among them, occasionally bursting into hearty laughter. He even winked at her when he had a moment to spare. The difference between them was stark; despite having lived in the world longer than he had, it felt as if their roles were reversed. Frustrated, Yao Guang turned her gaze away from him.
Xue, amidst the crowd, naturally caught Yao Guang's pleading look for help. He noticed how uncomfortable she was in social situations. However, he had no intention of assisting her. Perhaps it was because those in the courtyard had never been fond of Yao Guang while growing up there; they had never been close to her. Over time, Xue realized that aside from when she was with him, Yao Guang often struggled to interact with others. Back at Xiao Yao Villa, although she cherished her relationship with Xiao Yao Jia, their meetings often ended in arguments due to her inability to communicate effectively. After Xiao Yao Jia's death, Xue had seen Yao Guang secretly wipe away tears more than once. Alone and unable to express her feelings, she was free-spirited only in front of him. This side of Yao Guang made Xue feel both happy and pained. He knew her world couldn't revolve solely around him; yet he believed she needed only him. Nevertheless, Yao Guang still had to engage with outsiders. Xue enjoyed the atmosphere of the Bandit Hideout; the people here were kind and peaceful, and although they were a group of Chimeras and Specters, he didn't mind letting Yao Guang interact with them more.
Thus, Xue ignored Yao Guang's silent plea for help. The girl was sulking alone but soon resumed smiling at the ladies around her. After observing her for a while and noticing that she seemed to adapt well enough to the atmosphere, Xue felt relieved and comfortably engaged in conversation with those in front of him.
Jun Ruo watched everything from above and noticed the interaction between Yao Guang and Xue; this couple was quite interesting.
For some reason, as Jun Ruo observed them, she felt as if she had forgotten something important. But if she couldn't remember it, then it probably wasn't significant. All she needed to do was protect her loved ones here. Regardless of why Xue had joined them, his martial skills were undeniable; he could be considered a formidable ally.
Jun Ruo downed her drink and smiled as she looked at the vibrant Bandit Hideout and the people she protected with her life.
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