by Translator: Pokka; Author: 我本纯洁 (I Am Pure); Licensed From: Migu
He was obviously using the hall master’s name to suppress Old Urchin.
Just as Old Urchin was about to offer a retort, Tuoba Wan'er said, "Grandpas, stop arguing. Let's hear what first grandpa has to say."
The first elder glanced at Hu Yanbo and Sha Hanbiao before saying, "Come, greet the holy son-in-law."
Everyone’s mouth fell wide agape, disbelief in their eyes. As for Tuoba Wan'er, she shivered, not expecting this to be the result.
Impossible, how could he solve the stone tower's secret? Xiang Zixuan glared at Xiang Shaoyun, indignantly roaring inwardly.
Even Old Urchin blanked out momentarily. He then waved his arms and cheered, "Haha, I knew it. This kid is greatly talented. Future son-in-law? Splendid!"
The first elder looked at the silent elders and snorted, "Are you all deaf? Did you not hear what I said?"
The first elder had always been someone who stood aloof from worldly affairs. Apart from the Hall's internal affairs, he had ignored everything else. As for Old Urchin, he had always been acting unconventionally with his odd temper.
Thus, the external affairs of the Hall had always been managed by the third elder, Hu Yanbo. Many elders had been subjecting themselves under his command. Despite that, the first elder still held the highest prestige in the Hall after the hall master. When he started raging, the others immediately felt fearful.
"Greetings, holy son-in-law," the elders saluted unwillingly.
These were all people of status and power, but they were all forced to show Xiang Shaoyun respect.
Xiang Shaoyun was aware that he couldn't do anything now, so he helplessly said, "Rise, seniors."
"Good kid. Good kid. Not bad at all. Hahaha," Old Urchin approached Xiang Shaoyun, circled him, and praised.
In truth, he didn't have much hope for Xiang Shaoyun either, but Xiang Shaoyun had actually brought him a big surprise. He felt incredibly smug, and he now found Xiang Shaoyun much more pleasing to his eyes.
"First elder, although the holy son-in-law has successfully passed the hall master's trial, with his strength, he does not seem to be a good match for the young lady? I'm afraid the hall master will be unhappy when he learns of this after he comes out from seclusion," said Hu Yanbo, still unwilling to accept this result.
"You don't have to be concerned about this. This is a decision personally made by the hall master. We only need to obey it," said the first elder. "Ok, let's return to the main hall. We can continue our discussion there."
After hearing that, Hu Yanbo had no choice but to swallow his dissatisfaction.
Everyone once again gathered in the main hall. As for Xiang Zixuan, due to his failure in the trials, he was no longer qualified to enter the main hall. He was sent to a guest room to rest.
At the hall, the first elder started solemnly announcing Xiang Shaoyun's identity as the future son-in-law. After the marriage ceremony, his position would be formalized.
However, the ceremony would only be held after the hall master left seclusion. Even so, this matter would be publicly announced in advance, allowing everyone in the Holy Earth Hall to know the joyous news.
While listening to the commands the first elder was giving out, Xiang Shaoyun smiled bitterly and thought, Looks like I need to escape as soon as possible, or things will get even more complicated.
Finally, the meeting ended and everyone left. As for Xiang Shaoyun, a place of residence within the palace was arranged for him, and he did not even get the chance to speak with Old Urchin. He was given a lavish and massive residence with gorgeous decorations that were comparable to the palace of any royalty.
"Holy son-in-law, please allow us to attend to you as you shower and get changed," said two women with excellent looks.
They were dressed in revealing outfits. They had plump chests, slim waists, and perky rears. They were practically brimming with allure.
Xiang Shaoyun was used to beauties, but the sight of these beauties of unique flavors still caused his blood to boil. After all, he was still a perfectly healthy virgin filled with vigor.
The two women laid down the bathtub, poured water inside, and added some petals and herbs into the water. Instantly, the room was filled with a certain fragrance that caused one's imagination to wander.
"Holy son-in-law, the bathwater is ready. Let us help you undress," said the two as they stepped over, about to help Xiang Shaoyun undress.
By instinct, Xiang Shaoyun stepped back and covered his body with both arms. Bashfully, he said, "This...I can do this myself."
The two giggled at his reaction. One of them stepped forth and said, "Holy son-in-law, please don't make things difficult for us, or we will get punished for failing to carry out our duties."
Chapter 805: A Song of the Free and Unfettered
The two maids were respectively Qiu Yue and Qiu Shui, outstanding maids trained from their childhood by the Holy Hall. Not only were they excellent looking, but they also had prodigious talent in cultivation. Both of them were at the peak of the Skysoar Realm.
Reaching such levels at such a young age, they would be considered elites even in tier-6 and tier-7 organizations. Xiang Shaoyun stood his ground and insisted on taking the bath himself. But when they saw the pleading expressions of the two women, he clenched his teeth and agreed to have them help him.
Soon, he was cleanly stripped. He could feel the cold breeze brushing against his skin. His body was one that had been tempered by lightning. It was well-proportioned, robust, slender, and fit, causing the emotions of the two to ripple at what they saw.
The braver of the two, Qiu Yue, said with a red face, "The holy son-in-law has an excellent figure."
She even reached out and gently scratched Xiang Shaoyun's skin with her finger, causing him to shiver and say, "Cough, cough, I'm going into the bathtub."
He quickly jumped into the bathtub. Qiu Yue and Qiu Shui walked over with their faces red. They still needed to scrub his back, and since he wasn't given an option to refuse them, he could only allow them to do as they wished.
The two went to work. One was in charge of kneading Xiang Shaoyun's head while the other was gently rubbing his back. A certain pleasant fragrance was constantly invading Xiang Shaoyun's nostrils. He did not know if the fragrance originated from the bathwater or the two, but it did cause his blood to boil. He started getting the urge to drag both of them into the bathtub as well.
Fortunately, he was able to put his urges under control. He started chanting the Serene Clearheart Mantra, suppressing his desires. No matter how the two teased him, he would no longer feel anything.
After about an hour, the two women were done and left the room after dressing him up. Standing outside the room, they looked at each other with a crafty look on both their faces. They then headed toward a nearby room.
That room belonged to Tuoba Wan'er. She was currently seated before a dressing table, looking into the mirror with mixed emotions in her eyes. As someone born in a family of rulers, she lived a life of luxury. However, she also lived the life of a caged bird with no freedom. In a way, her life was sad.
Qiu Yue and Qiu Shui entered the room after knocking on the door. They saluted Tuoba Wan'er and said, "Greetings, young lady."
"Um. Are you done attending to the holy son-in-law?" asked Tuoba Wan'er.
"Yes, young lady," answered the two.
"How did he act?" Tuoba Wan'er asked.
Qiu Yue answered, "The holy son-in-law is a gentleman. At first, he was somewhat stiff, but he later eased up and allowed us to help him with the bath and dressing up."
"Exactly. The holy son-in-law is an upright person, always treating us with respect," said Qiu Shui.
Tuoba Wan'er sank into thought before she said, "Ok. You two will continue attending to him for the next few days. Agree to all his requests."
"Yes, young lady," the two answered obediently.
After sending the two away, Tuoba Wan'er sighed and muttered, "Being together with a man I don't know is easier said th
an done."
Meanwhile, Xiang Shaoyun looked extremely bored in his room. His mind was completely on the matter of escaping. Thus, he wasn't even able to focus on cultivation.
That damnable Old Urchin is actually not coming to see me. What should I do now? Xiang Shaoyun cursed inwardly.
In truth, he was entirely capable of leaving undetected now, but he still couldn't bring both Liang Zhuangmin and Wu Zhijun with him. His only hope was Old Urchin, and he could only hope that Old Urchin would show up and take him away soon.
Otherwise, he would be paraded around with Tuoba Wan'er in half a month, having his identity as the holy son-in-law announced to the entire city. At that time, leaving would no longer be an option.
While pacing the room bored, Xiang Shaoyun noticed a zither resting before the window. He walked over and sat down before it.
He softly ran his finger through the zither strings, causing melodic sounds to ring out in the air. It reminded him of Gong Qinyin, and he muttered, "I wonder how her zither skills are, nowadays."
At that thought, he started plucking the strings, playing a song. He had barely touched a zither after his escape from the Ziling Sect. Thus, his skills with the zither had deteriorated somewhat. However, his basics were still solid, and he quickly regained his familiarity with the instrument. A song titled "Free and Unfettered" started playing from his fingertips.
The joy of the free and unfettered, the boundless freedom, the boundless delight. Moving alongside the wind, roaming the world...
A cheerful song traveled out of the room, reaching a certain room nearby. Tuoba Wan'er started listening out of curiosity, and it did not take her long to be completely engrossed.
Freedom was exactly what she wanted.
The song seemed to be describing the exact kind of life she longed for. Thus, she was completely pulled into the world of the song, slowly losing herself in it.
After an unknown amount of time, the song changed. It became a song of longing. It was obvious from the tune that the one playing the song was missing someone far away. Within the gentleness of the song was a trace of sorrow.
After the song ended, Tuoba Wan'er left the room and walked toward Xiang Shaoyun's room.
Instead of knocking, she used voice transmission and said, "Is the holy son-in-law willing to meet me at the garden?"
Soon, Xiang Shaoyun left the room. Tuoba Wan'er no longer had the veil on her face, and he was slightly stunned by her beauty. With a smile, he said, "I was bored inside, so your invitation came at the perfect timing, young lady."
The two headed toward the stone table and chairs in the garden before sitting down. After getting the servants to deliver some fruits and liquor, she sent them all away.
Xiang Shaoyun lifted the cup and said, "A toast to thank the young lady for saving my life."
He then downed the liquor in the cup. Whatever happened, Tuoba Wan'er was indeed someone who had once saved his life. Thus, he was grateful toward her.
Tuoba Wan'er lifted her cup and drained the liquor as well. After putting the cup down, she looked at Xiang Shaoyun and asked, "Are you proficient with the art of the zither? The song I heard earlier is very beautiful."
Xiang Shaoyun had a self-mocking laugh as he said, "During my frivolous youth when I was without learning or skill, I was great at all forms of entertainment. Yes, I know a little about the zither."
Up until his teenage years, he had spent his life eating, drinking, and fooling around, wasting all those years not cultivating. Every time he recalled his past, he was filled with regret.
Chapter 806: Admiration of Beauty
"Can you tell me about your childhood?" Tuoba Wan'er asked curiously.
Xiang Shaoyun looked at Tuoba Wan'er in astonishment, and he started telling the story of his naughty childhood self.
Back then, he was completely free and unfettered. He would do anything he wanted, and he had done a lot of ridiculous things. Now that he recalled the past, he could see how ignorant he was back then. His life then was too comfortable, leading up to the eventual tragedy.
Tuoba Wan'er listened with keen interest, her eyes rippling with envy.
"Don't you think that the previous me was incredibly ignorant?" Xiang Shaoyun asked in a self-mocking manner after he was done with his story.
A flowery smile bloomed on her face as she answered, "Not at all. I think that is a very joyous way of life. It is free and unrestrained, a life one can really yearn for."
Xiang Shaoyun was completely stunned by her smile. Still in a daze, he said, "You're so beautiful when you smile."
That came out of nowhere for Tuoba Wan'er, causing her eyes to shift around as a blush covered her face. She said, "Am I not beautiful when I'm not smiling?"
Xiang Shaoyun hurriedly waved his hands and said, "How is that possible? But you're much more beautiful when smiling. You should smile more."
Tuoba Wan'er sighed, "I want to smile more as well, but living at the Holy Hall, my every word and action is bound by restrictions. It's really hard to find a reason to smile."
"I thought you and Senior Urchin had just returned from a tour?" asked Xiang Shaoyun.
Tuoba Wan'er replied, "That was an accidental chance I got to leave."
Xiang Shaoyun could see Tuoba Wan'er's helplessness from her eyes. Seeing her misery, he started sympathizing with her. After all, the Holy Earth Hall was cut off from the rest of the world. As the Hall's future holy maiden, Tuoba Wan'er did not have the freedom many had.
Affected by the sympathy he was feeling, Xiang Shaoyun said, "If there is a chance, I will take you around the world. There are a lot of sceneries we have never seen before, different races, fortuitous encounters, and much more."
"Will there be such a chance?" Tuoba Wan'er asked, but the question was more for herself.
"Of course! This is a world where the strong reigns supreme. If we are strong enough, smashing through a cage is nothing!" declared Xiang Shaoyun, brimming with confidence.
At this moment, Tuoba Wan'er found Xiang Shaoyun exuding a certain indescribable aura. This man, who was even younger than her, seemed to have the ambitions to reach the heavens, a man worthy of her respect.
Xiang Shaoyun was someone who had seen much of the world, and he started telling Tuoba Wan'er what he had seen and heard. The more she listened, the more she yearned for freedom. The two chatted without noticing the passage of time, and night arrived unknowingly.
Little did they know, this harmonious scene was being observed by someone. That someone was the first elder. With a smile on his face, he muttered, "The young lady and the holy son-in-law seem to get along nicely. Excellent!"
He then vanished.
"Without realizing it, night has arrived. It has been a while since I have had such a nice chat," Xiang Shaoyun lamented.
There were things he had kept repressed in his heart for too long. With a beautiful listener like Tuoba Wan'er, he couldn't resist pouring out his mind, talking about things he never had a chance to before.
Tuoba Wan'er had an apologetic look as she said, "Sorry, I have wasted your time."
"Haha, you're too polite, young lady. I am very happy that you're willing to be my listener. I should be the one apologizing for holding up your time," said Xiang Shaoyun.
Tuoba Wan'er smiled. "True, you're now the Hall's son-in-law. There is nothing wrong with talking with me."
For some reason, she suddenly found herself approving of Xiang Shaoyun. Perhaps being with him would not be too bad after all. He was handsome, humorous, talented, amiable, and approachable. He also possessed the overbearingness a man should have. Was he not the perfect partner to have?
Xiang Shaoyun was surprised that he would actually earn her approval by talking to her like this. He did not know whether he should laugh or cry.
Rubbing his nose, he said, "Young lady, you jest." He then shifted to voice transmission, "I know you're being forced to do this as well. Just wait until Senior Urchin comes. After I leave, you no longer
need to obey the first elder's arrangements."
Tuoba Wan'er's face dimmed as she said, "Got it."
She then stood up and returned to her room. Xiang Shaoyun was completely confused, not knowing why she was suddenly angry. Not even the Light of Wisdom could help him understand women!
He finished the remaining liquor and returned to his room as well. There, he chanted the Serene Clearheart Mantra, throwing all unnecessary thoughts out of his mind, and started cultivating.
He channeled strand after strand of energy from his nine stars to his astral cosmos sea. Through the astral cosmos sea, he sent the energy to his spine, causing his draconic aura to reveal itself. A dragon that was about 34 percent solid showed itself.
This was proof that he had reached the middle of the third-stage Dragon Ascension Realm. Although this was a decent advancement speed, it still wasn't good enough for him. There were many geniuses in the academy advancing faster than him. If he couldn't maintain a high growth speed, it was only a matter of time before they left him in the dust.
Done with energy channeling, Xiang Shaoyun observed the changes in his astral cosmos sea. He found that the aura inside seemed completely different, as if the nine-colored fog had filled the entire astral cosmos sea, nourishing all life forms inside. The vicious tiger gold lotus, the blaze flower, the mysterious tree, and everything else...they had all undergone considerable changes.
Xiang Shaoyun had a feeling this wasn't caused by the nine-colored fog alone. The solidification of the astral cosmos sea also played a role, turning the space into fertile soil. He even wondered if the astral cosmos sea would turn into an actual world if this continued.
The night passed quickly. Early the next morning, Qiu Yue and Qiu Shui arrived and handed him the things he needed to wash himself before saying, "The young lady would like to invite you for breakfast at the side hall, holy son-in-law."