Chapter Sixty-Six: The Marriage

"Are you out of your mind? You don't even know what it was, and you still jumped in front! What if it was a venomous creature?"

"In a place like this, if you get hurt, how am I supposed to treat you?"

Zisang was so frustrated she wanted to punch him, to make him understand the gravity of his actions. In such a barren land, encountering a strange bird was alarming enough. They knew almost nothing about this place, and without a thorough understanding, they couldn't afford to get hurt—not even a little.

But this fool, always putting himself in front of danger, didn't seem to grasp that he was just an ordinary human. If something really happened to him, she wasn't sure she could save him.

"Don't worry! It's just a bite. It's nothing serious, it'll be fine in a couple of days."

He spoke lightly, as if the situation was of no concern to him. Zisang didn't believe him; he was such a fool. Even if he was in pain, he'd still say it was nothing.

She pulled his hand away to look at his neck, finding the wound a bloody mess.

"And you call this nothing! You're bleeding so much!"

Her heart ached even more seeing his injury. She quickly tore a piece of her clothing to bandage him up.

Zisang worked hurriedly, not daring to waste a moment, but Nan Xianyi seemed unaffected, staring at her with a silly smile, as if the injury wasn't his.

Once they finished bandaging him, they continued exploring the island. This place was far from the Lizhou Zisang had imagined. The withered vegetation and dilapidated houses were one thing, but the complete absence of any signs of life, save for that one strange bird, was unsettling.

It was as if this place was isolated from the rest of the world. Not even birds flew overhead, and if any did, they avoided the island entirely.

Zisang walked to the shore and dipped her hand into the water, feeling a piercing cold. She quickly withdrew it. Though she couldn't see far, she could sense that there was no life beneath the surface near the island.

The cold from the water seemed to seep into her heart, chilling her to the core.

"This isn't Lizhou. Lizhou isn't like this."

She couldn't believe that the most beautiful place her father had always talked about was this desolate land.

"This is Lizhou," Nan Xianyi replied firmly.

"I don't know what Lizhou was like before. Maybe it was beautiful. But after the Mei clan was exterminated, perhaps Lizhou was destroyed too."

The ancient texts mentioned that Lizhou was guarded by two divine beasts from the sea. However, they hadn't seen any sign of these legendary beasts. Perhaps the Demon Lord had killed them too.

Nan Xianyi bent down and embraced Zisang. They stood there quietly, as if asleep. The clouds parted, revealing the cool moonlight. A gentle breeze stirred, creating ripples that made the moon's reflection dance on the water, adding a touch of life to the dead surroundings.

"Let's get married."

The clear voice broke the silence. Nan Xianyi looked down at the person curled up in his arms.

Caught off guard, she trembled slightly. After a while, she peeked out from his embrace, one eye full of surprise.

"You want to marry me? I'm a demon! Are you sure?"

Nan Xianyi's smile grew even brighter, but his eyes were filled with tenderness.

"More sure than ever. I've decided that you're the one I want to spend my life with."

His smile was so infectious that she couldn't help but smile along with him. But then, as if remembering something, her smile slowly faded.

"Emperor Lingxuan won't agree to this."

Of course he wouldn't agree. To Nan Xianyi, Emperor Lingxuan was like a reborn parent. Matters of marriage had to be approved by him.

Obviously, Nan Xianyi had considered this as well. His expression turned cold immediately, and after a long pause, he spoke in a soft voice.

"If it comes to that, I... I'll leave Fusang!" It seemed like he had struggled to say this.

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze, with only the sounds of their breathing and heartbeats breaking the silence.

"Nan Xianyi, am I truly worth such a sacrifice? Even defying your master's orders?"

Zisang always thought she never owed anyone in this life, but with Nan Xianyi, she felt she owed him too much.

He was so good to her. Outsiders might find it overwhelming, and even she felt undeserving of his kindness.

She often wondered why he, a distinguished disciple of the immortal sect, would risk offending his master and protecting her, a mere fox demon.

"Zisang, you mean the world to me. I don't want to lose you, not even for a moment!"

His words fell like a heavy stone, firm and certain, giving Zisang the confidence that he truly wanted to marry her.

Nan Xianyi's words today were something Zisang had never dared to imagine. Although she always appeared smart, brave, and unafraid of the world, deep down, she felt foolish. She couldn't even muster the courage to tell him, "I like you!"

Wasn't it said that humans and demons walk different paths? So why did I fall for you?

A human's life is fleeting, just a few decades. To her, it was like a blink of an eye, but for Nan Xianyi, it was different.

Zisang understood all this, but when it actually happened, she couldn't help but agree.

"Alright, I have no choice but to agree!"

What does it matter if I'm a demon or he's human? If I can spend my life with the one I love, even losing all my cultivation wouldn't matter!

"Really? You agreed? You really agreed? Hahaha!"

At that moment, Nan Xianyi was like a child who had just received candy, jumping around in joy.

Zisang glanced at him, couldn't help but call him a "fool," yet didn't realize her own lips had already curled into a smile.

"Great, there's no time to waste. Let's get married now!"

Nan Xianyi was so overjoyed that he ignored Zisang's words, grabbed her hand, and declared they should get married immediately.

This startled Zisang. She thought he must have lost his mind. How could he be so impulsive without considering their surroundings?

Marriage is the most important event in a woman's life. How could it be so casually settled in such a desolate place?

"Here? Are you sure?" Zisang almost shouted.

Could I have misheard? Nan Xianyi, I'll give you a chance to explain. Tell me it's not what I think!

"I'm very sure! Why, isn't this place good?"

Do you really think so? Zisang's eyes nearly rolled back in exasperation.

No, no, this is unbearable!

"Nan Xianyi! I accepted your proposal because I saw your sincerity, but I didn't expect you to treat our wedding so casually!"

"I'm telling you, this marriage... is off!"

"Nan Xianyi! I accepted your proposal because I saw your sincerity, but I didn't expect you to treat our wedding so carelessly!"

"I'm telling you, this marriage... I'm calling it off!"

Zisang was pushed to her breaking point, charging forward in a fit of anger. Seeing this, Nan Xianyi stepped up and pulled her tightly into his arms, leaving no space between them. Warm breath brushed against her ear, and she heard him chuckle softly.

"If you don't like it, I'll conjure something beautiful for you!"

He was so close she could feel his heartbeat. She lowered her head slightly, biting her lip and trying to control her breathing. Then, she heard him snap his fingers, and suddenly, fireflies began to sparkle around them.

With a wave of Nan Xianyi's hand, the desolate surroundings lit up with tiny stars and flickering lights. What was once a barren wasteland instantly burst into life, vibrant and full of vitality, like a dream or a fairy tale.

Dead trees sprouted new branches, twining upwards and glowing with a strange light. The dark, lifeless sea surged, forming a massive water sphere that enveloped the entire island. As the water sphere neared completion, the waves dispersed into countless droplets, which fell gently to the ground.

The water droplets soaked into the soil, taking root and sprouting into a vast sea of flowers within moments. It was like a field of blooms after a rain, with dewdrops clinging to petals and leaves.

The entire island was covered in flowers, each one unique yet harmoniously blending with the others. Zisang had always thought her mother was the happiest woman in the world because her father had traveled the six realms to find the most beautiful flowers and plant them for her. But today, for the first time, Zisang felt she was the happiest person on earth because this foolish man had covered an entire island with flowers just for her.

Zisang stood there, mesmerized. With another wave of his hand, Nan Xianyi's plain clothes transformed into a brilliant red robe. Looking down, she saw she was also dressed in a magnificent red gown.

A cool breeze blew, making her hairpins and earrings jingle melodiously.

"It's so beautiful! How did you do it?"

Before she realized it, she had broken free from Nan Xianyi's embrace and was running through the flowers. Her skirt brushed against the blossoms, and the water droplets dampened the hem, but she didn't mind. Instead, she found it delightful.

She lifted her skirt and twirled around. Water droplets from the flowers clung to her dress, sparkling in shades of red, pink, yellow, and green.

Nan Xianyi watched her as always, his eyes full of unreserved tenderness.

"Are you satisfied?"

Zisang had run far, so Nan Xianyi had to shout to be heard. She nodded vigorously, as if her head might fall off, and shouted back with equal volume.

"Satisfied! This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen!"

"Then would this beautiful lady still be willing to marry me?"

He shouted back, his voice echoing in the stillness.

Tears welled up in Zisang's eyes, but this time they were tears of joy, pure and simple happiness.

In that moment, words couldn't express what she felt inside. Time seemed to stand still, and the stunning scenery around them became ethereal because all they saw was each other. Nothing else mattered.

"In the human world, we pay our respects to our parents when we get married. And this is the place where your parents once lived," Nan Xianyi explained. "If you think about it, it's like your parents are here with us. Can you think of a more suitable place?"

Zisang didn't understand the customs of human weddings, nor did she know what to do during the ceremony. Nan Xianyi patiently explained it to her over and over again.

Finally, after much repetition, Zisang understood. "So that's how it is. What else do you do in human weddings?" she asked, as if she had grasped the concept, though she seemed to have only understood the part about the parents being present.

Nan Xianyi took a deep breath and reminded himself not to give up. He couldn't understand how the usually clever and resourceful demon princess could be so confused about this.

"Never mind, just follow my lead," he said.

"Okay."

"Watch closely. Like this: lift your left hand... then your right hand... then bring them together like this."

Following his instructions, Zisang mimicked his movements step by step.

"Not like that. Raise your hand higher, like this, level with your eyebrows. Got it?"

"Hmph! You act like you're an expert at this!" Zisang couldn't help but retort after being scolded twice by Nan Xianyi.

Her casual remark seemed to inflate Nan Xianyi's pride, and he replied smugly, "Of course I am!"

Seeing his cocky expression, Zisang's eyes flashed with irritation. Nan Xianyi felt a chill run through him, and his smile froze.

What did he mean by being an expert at this? It seemed like he had a lot of experience despite his young age. She had heard that men in the human world often had multiple wives, and now she wondered if Nan Xianyi had already married several women.

"Don't misunderstand! It's not what you think. I haven't... I've never been married, but I've seen others get married," Nan Xianyi quickly clarified, sensing the need to defend himself. "I've picked up some experience over time!"

Under Zisang's skeptical gaze, Nan Xianyi's strong survival instinct kicked in, and he managed to save himself.

"First, bow to heaven and earth... second, bow to the parents... third, bow to each other," Nan Xianyi recited, guiding them through the ceremony.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Nan Xianyi exclaimed, suddenly remembering something. He turned his palm up, revealing a small ornate box, but he didn't open it immediately. Taking a deep breath, he hesitated for a moment before slowly lifting the lid, feeling a mix of emotions.

Inside the box was a delicate hairpin, shaped like a tree branch. Though not as glamorous as a flower, it was charming and exquisite.

"This hairpin was given to me by Lu Yan when we left. He said it's part of your dowry," Nan Xianyi explained. "He made it himself. He wanted to give it to you personally, but he felt he wouldn't have the chance, so he asked me to give it to you."

Zisang took the hairpin, her brows furrowing as she felt a surge of emotions that made her nose tingle. It turned out he had been thinking of her all along.

She remembered the day Lu Yan took her to the human world—it was her first visit, and there were many things there that didn't exist in the demon world. Especially hairpins like the one in her hand, which she had never seen before.