Chapter 266: Marriage

Lu Jiangxian had just set down the two talismans when the auras on the two of them surged instantly. Li Yuanjiao and Li Qinghong were both overjoyed and hurriedly sat cross-legged to stabilize their cultivation. The Li family members on the side were filled with pleasant surprise, and Li Xuansuan gasped:

"Two talismans!"

"The juniors are indeed promising."

Li Tongya nodded with a smile. The group finished the remaining rituals before descending from the platform, waiting for the two juniors to accept the talismans.

Before long, Li Qinghong was the first to open her eyes. Her lively eyes first scanned the surroundings, and seeing that Li Yuanjiao was still sitting cross-legged nearby, she walked down the platform on tiptoe, bowed to the elders, and smiled:

"Qinghong has received the talisman, named 'Long Sky Danger Sparrow'. My cultivation has now reached the peak of Embryonic Breath, and I can begin to break through to Qi Refining!"

"Good!"

Li Xuanling responded with a smile and pulled his daughter into his arms for a hug. Li Qinghong then recounted the various effects of the 'Long Sky Danger Sparrow Talisman'. Li Tongya listened carefully, laughed heartily, and replied:

"Your talisman is good for battle. Our Li family already has a bow, and now we have gained a spear, so we need not fear duels!"

The group naturally showered them with praise. Li Yuanjiao then leisurely opened his eyes, stepped down from the platform, and said happily:

"Elders, Yuanjiao has obtained a white talisman, named 'Qi-Conducting Spirit-Swallowing'."

"Foundation Establishment white talisman!"

The group had sacrificed a Foundation Establishment monster, which should have yielded a white talisman, but it was common for the Dharma Mirror to consume the offering without granting a talisman, providing only a talisman pill instead. The group had been quite anxious, so hearing this, they were overjoyed. Li Yuanjiao continued:

"My cultivation has reached the peak of Embryonic Breath, lacking only that strand of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy. Yuanjiao feels that the talisman still has untapped potential; once I break through to Qi Refining, there should be further cultivation bonuses!"

"This talisman excels at boosting cultivation, riding clouds and mist, summoning wind and rain, and also has many bonuses for gathering Qi..."

Li Yuanjiao recounted the information he had obtained from the talisman one by one. Li Tongya nodded and instructed:

"Understood!"

Seeing Li Yuanjiao obediently agree, Li Tongya nodded and asked with some trepidation:

"Have you thought about which cultivation technique to practice?"

"The junior's intention is to practice the 'River and Sea One Qi Technique'."

"Good! Good!"

Hearing Li Yuanjiao's answer, Li Tongya immediately felt a weight lift from his heart. He had been afraid that Li Yuanjiao would share Li Qinghong's pursuit of the Dao and choose to practice the immensely powerful 'Purple Thunder Secret Origin Technique', causing this lineage to lose its heirs. Since Li Yuanjiao had no such intention, Li Tongya was spared the need to waste his breath, and he nodded repeatedly, smiling:

"Not bad, not bad."

————

The Xiao family.

The small peak was covered in red, appearing particularly festive. Figures landed from time to time, and the bustling crowd exchanged congratulations. Xiao Guiluan's small courtyard was decorated with extreme luxury. Outside, someone congratulated her:

"Congratulations! The Li family is a family of sword immortals; the young lady is truly blessed!"

"You are too kind! Many thanks, clan uncle."

A deep male voice responded. Xiao Guiluan immediately recognized it as her elder brother, Xiao Guitu, and could not help but frown, asking:

"Father truly refuses to come!"

The people below remained silent. Xiao Guiluan sighed softly, slightly angry, and replied:

"Hopeless!"

Xiao Guiluan had been sent up the mountain since she was young, and her father had never shown her any care or concern, only hoping she would quickly break through to Qi Refining and descend the mountain to serve the clan. Xiao Guiluan only regarded him as her standing within the clan. Who knew this man would be so spendthrift and cold-hearted? Xiao Guiluan had no choice but to extinguish that thought and rely on her own strength to demonstrate intelligence and agility before the direct-line elders.

With the convergence of circumstances, the Xiao family, which had not married off a daughter for many years, finally made a move. Xiao Guiluan was chosen as the daughter to be married off without any surprise, but that man was terrifyingly stupid; upon hearing the news, he flew into a rage, looking as if he wanted to sever ties with her...

Xiao Guiluan felt no anger, only an irrepressible sorrow in her heart. If she could not be supported by her mother's family, her life in the Li family would not be easy.

Composing herself, Xiao Guiluan straightened her red dress, the golden edges shimmering slightly in the bright sunlight. She stared into the bronze mirror for a while, pursed her red lips, and applied some rouge. The young girl's already outstanding appearance looked truly stunning with the addition of the attire and rouge.

"Young lady's beauty is unmatched by few in this prefecture!"

The maid on the side clicked her tongue in praise. Xiao Guiluan only shook her head slightly and said softly:

"Stop the flattery..."

"Little sister."

"Many thanks, elder brother!"

Xiao Guiluan thanked him. Xiao Guitu naturally understood her meaning, shook his head, and replied:

"Do not worry about the family. The union of the two families was personally inquired about by a True Person. I will help out at home."

"Inquired about by a True Person?"

Xiao Guiluan's heart trembled, and she was instantly overjoyed. Her thoughts flashed like lightning, and feeling confident, she said happily:

"Many thanks for telling me, elder brother!"

As the two were chatting, a boy of about ten years old came up from behind, also dressed in red with gold thread, holding a crystal-clear, pale white jade ring in his hands, and said in a childish voice:

"Madam, it is time to depart."

This jade ring represented the meaning of a festive union and was a custom in the Li Xia region. It required the bride's family to send a boy to hold the jade ring and accompany the carriage, personally handing it to the groom. The other party would give some wealth and gold or silver as a thank-you gift; for cultivators, this meant spiritual items and magic tools.

The boy was personally chosen by Xiao Guiluan; he was the eldest son of Xiao Jiuqing, named Yushan Yushan Xiao Xian Xian. Xiao Jiuqing had given some spirit stones to make up for the shortfall in Xiao Guiluan's dowry. Xiao Guiluan did not want to owe Xiao Jiuqing, so she chose Yushan Yushan Xiao Xian Xian. The items given by the Li family would definitely be worth more than these few spirit stones, which would count as repaying the favor.

"Good."

Xiao Guiluan responded with a smile. Knowing that a True Person had inquired about this marriage, Xiao Guiluan felt confident, and her face became radiant. Her phoenix eyes narrowed, glowing with life. She took little Yushan Yushan Xiao Xian Xian by the hand and walked out of the courtyard, only to find another person standing in front of the bridal sedan.

This person had a gentle aura, with a string of medicine pouches hanging from his waist. He was holding a pill book in his hand and looking at it. Seeing Xiao Guiluan's appearance, he smiled:

"Dressed up beautifully, get in the sedan!"

"Greetings, clan uncle!"

"Greetings, senior!"

The surrounding area instantly fell to its knees, all bowing and kowtowing. Xiao Guiluan's mind went blank for a moment, and she thought with pleasant surprise:

"A Foundation Establishment cultivator leading the sedan... what a grand display..."

Seeing everyone around trembling, Xiao Yuansi raised his eyebrows and shook his head. He had learned from the Li family that Li Yuanjiao had secretly been adopted by his junior brother, and he cared even more about this marriage. Since he was already at the Li family, he naturally stopped by to pick her up.

Xiao Guiluan nodded repeatedly, hurriedly picked up little Yushan Yushan Xiao Xian Xian, and sat in the sedan, her heart filled only with anticipation and trepidation.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 267 =====